The Trials Shall Come Forth
by Chameleon777
Summary: Sequel to "Journeys of Faith"...questions recieve answers, the past and present of many collide, old secrets come to light, new friends emerge, and the continued battle of good vs. evil continues to weigh down on those enduring life...
1. Seasons of Life Change With Time

_**April**_

_**Illinois Correctional Facility**_

Ignoring the pain that radiated from under his walking cast, Elton limped along after the stony-faced guard; he hated the nasty prison jumpsuit that he had to wear despite being allowed to shower.

They entered a large area where several other men of various shape, size, and color were gathered, all of them dressed in identical prison garb. The guard smirked at Elton and Elton limped forward.

"Sit in here until someone comes to take you to your cell," the guard said in a gruff voice.

Giving Elton another smirk, the guard left. Elton swore under his breath and limped into the mess of people; silently, he found a corner bench to sit on and elevated his aching leg above the floor.

For several minutes, Elton listened to the incoherent chatter of the other prisoners and reflected on how if it weren't for Malucci and his buddies, he wouldn't have ended back up in prison.

"Hey bud, is there room on that bench for me?" a gruff voice suddenly asked from nearby.

Elton looked up and saw a ragged looking man standing over him in prison garb, "The name's Steve," the man said as he sat down next to Elton. "I'm here for beating up my ex-wife…what are you here for?"

"I kidnapped my ex-wife's daughter and nearly killed her eldest son," Elton replied, not wanting to ever claim Amy's spawn as his biological children despite him definitely being the father of them.

Steve gaped at him, "Wow, I thought I was rough," he said, his voice full of near awe.

There was a silence between them and then a guard came strolling over to them, "Elton Douglas, I've been assigned to show you to your cell," the guard said cooly. "You get one phone call before you are locked up if you want one."

Letting out an aggravated sigh, Elton rose from the bench, "Nice talking to you, Steve," he said before gazing at the guard. "I would like my phone call now, please...See you around, Steve."

Steve nodded and watched as Elton limped after the guard; it was just another day in prison.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cook County ER<strong>_

"….You don't know how much I miss you," Dave said into the phone as he sat on the couch in the lounge with the phone pressed against his ear. "….I know…..How's the clinic in Kinshasa going?…Mhm…"

The door opened and Amy came into the room with an arm around a disgruntled looking Nathan whose arm was still in a cast and sling, "…Oh, now, Magdalynn…," Dave said, an amused chuckle in his voice.

"Just sit down on the couch for a moment and I'll put my coat somewhere," Amy said, gently patting Nathan's arm. "Just take it slow…You don't have to be upstairs for half an hour yet."

As Nathan moved to the couch and sat down, Amy walked over to the coat rack in the corner of the room and removed her coat; she was sporting a small baby bump under a scrub shirt and overalls.

A sudden click on the other end of the line caused Dave to sigh, "Connection's really bad from Kinshasa to here," he said, gazing at Amy as he hung up the phone. "You're looking a lot better, sis."

Amy smiled and moved back over to the couch, "Since the first trimester is going to be over soon, bed rest isn't necessary any longer," she said in a kind tone. "Nathan's takedown is today and he has to be upstairs for check-in in about half an hour. Luka's off today, so he's at home with Joe and Katie."

"Luka wanted to come with me, but I told him no," Nathan said in a groggy voice. "Ever since he got back from Africa, he's been trying to treat me as if he wants to be my dad…like he really wants to."

Amy sighed, "Nathan, we should probably head upstairs now and get you checked in," she said in a gentle, yet very strained voice. "Sorry about Nathan's mood, Dave, he's just very tired."

Dave nodded and silently watched as Nathan stood up and allowed Amy to lead him from the room.

For a moment, there was silence as Dave contemplated the day ahead of him; suddenly, just as he had decided to go out into the ER and begin work, the phone rang. With a sigh, Dave grabbed the receiver.

"Doctor Malucci speaking," Dave said, wondering who would call the lounge at this time of day.

An amused chuckle from the other end of the line caused Dave's blood to run cold, "Well, good morning, Doctor Malucci," the evil voice of Elton said from the other end. "How are you?"

"You're supposed to be in prison," Dave said in an anxious tone. "What do you want?"

Elton chuckled, "Oh, I AM in prison," he replied smoothly. "I just wanted to let you know that even though I am behind bars, I still haven't forgotten about you…I'll still be watching you very closely."

Dave remained silent even though he was dying inside, "Ta ta, my dearly devoted emergency room doctor," Elton said in a smug voice. "Just remember that we'll someday meet again….very soon."

There was a click, indicating that Elton had hung up. Dave swallowed hard and sighed deeply.

Realizing that he couldn't let a psychotic monster like Elton mess up his life via constant physical and psychological torture, Dave smoothed down his white coat and silently left the quiet lounge.

"Dave, glad you're in early," Mark said, smiling as Dave walked over to the desk. "Need to talk to you."

Dave nodded and stopped just short of the chart rack, "Ray Barnett will be returning to County in the summer to begin an early internship in emergency medicine," Mark explained in a low voice so not to attract the attention of Jerry or any of the other staff. "Do you mind being his supervisor again?"

"No, I don't mind," Dave replied in a kind tone; he didn't really mind working with Ray in the past.

Mark nodded, but before he could reply, a blonde haired woman in purple scrubs hurried into the ER with a worn backpack slung over her right shoulder, "Sorry I'm late," she said in a distressed tone.

"Doctor Malucci, this is Sam Taggart, the new ER Nurse Manager," Mark said in a neutral tone. "Sam, this is Doctor Dave Malucci, one of our highly respected attending physicians…"

Dave looked at Mark in shock at the compliment, but loud ambulance sirens drowned out any opportunity to give thanks for the praise. A moment later, Pickman and Zadro burst through the double doors rolling a gurney holding a bleeding and badly bruised young man who was finely dressed.

"Victor Clemente, victim of a random mugging and subsequent attack," Zadro said, continuing to push the gurney along as Dave, Sam, and Mark followed after it. "LOC at the scene, but woke up in the rig."

Dave nodded as they rolled Victor into the Trauma Room, "I'm Doctor Malucci," Dave said as they moved the gurney under the lights. "Nurse Taggart and Doctor Greene are going to help me help you."

With a shaking hand, Victor moved the mask that was on his face, "I'm a medical dean/psychiatric director over at Northwestern," he lied, faking a tired tone. "Please don't tell my supervisor about me being attacked. He's already stressed enough about dealing with a med-student named Ray Barnett…"

Sam carefully placed the mask back over Victor's face; "Just rest easy," Dave said in a reassuring tone as two more nurses entered the room. "We'll do our best to help you feel better and take it from there."

Knowing that he had to keep up the façade, Victor went quiet and stared at the ceiling; it wasn't easy to spy on the ER as a patient, but it was the only way to do it without arousing suspicion or trouble.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room – Pediatrics Floor<strong>_

The door opened and Nathan moved out of the bathroom now wearing an oversized hospital gown; his casted arm was out of its sling and his clothes were on the bathroom counter. He looked very frustrated.

Amy smiled, "Here, lie down, and I'll put your socks and slippers on your feet," she said, showing him a pair of gray footies and a pair of blue hospital slippers. "You don't need to be so nervous."

As Nathan sat on the bed, the gown slipped off his upper body, "Crap, I guess I didn't tie it in the back very well," he muttered; he gazed down at the colostomy bag and stared at the scars around it.

"So many scars," Nathan whispered as he placed his good hand on the bandages. "Makes me feel…"

Amy sighed and carefully pulled the gown over Nathan's bare shoulders, "I almost died," he said, biting his lip as he felt his gown being re-tied in the back. "I-I don't know what to make of life anymore."

"Sweetie, relax," Amy said in a gentle tone as she placed her arms around Nathan. "Elton Douglas is in jail now and we can all begin healing. We can all learn to be a family with Luka and Joe now…"

Nathan let out a deep breath, "I want to trust Luka very much, Mom," he confessed. "I am very scared to, though...He sees me as good as his son, but I don't know if I can live up to his expectations of me…"

"I don't want you getting worked up right now," Amy replied in a firm tone. "Let's get you into bed."

Letting out a distressed sigh, Nathan obediently got into bed, "You know, when I was in Africa, all I was able to think about was all of my wonderful children," Amy confessed as she covered Nathan with the blanket that had been left at the edge of the gurney. "I didn't think Luka would come back from Africa alive and I was trying to figure out how I would be able to look after all five of you and the baby."

"But he did come back alive," Nathan replied. "How were you sure that Katie would survive there?"

Amy sighed, "Katie has always been very determined," she admitted. "I knew that God would look out for her and return her to us. I was unsure about Luka, however, because he can be impulsive…"

There was a knock at the door and a nurse entered the room with a supply cart, "Hi, Nathan?" she said, smiling as she came over to the bed. "I've come to get an IV started and get you moved to pre-op."

"I'm Doctor Amy Romano-Kovac, Nathan's mother," Amy said in a kind tone as she watched the nurse wrap a plastic tie around Nathan's arm. "Nathan, honey, don't look at your arm…look at me."

Nathan looked at Amy and was quiet, only wincing when he felt the needle go into his arm, "There you go, it's hooked up," the nurse said cheerfully as she raised the guard rails. "Time to go to pre-op."

Amy raised the other guard rail, "I'm coming with him," she said in a firm tone. "At least to pre-op."

The journey down the hall, into the elevator, and up to the surgical floor was quiet, "Mom, go and relax," Nathan said in a tired tone as they got off the elevator. "I'll be okay, I promise."

Not wanting to be overprotective, Amy nodded and gently kissed Nathan's forehead; she watched as the nurse moved the gurney into the pre-op room and put it in the far corner of the semi-crowded room.

Swallowing hard, Amy moved down the hallway to the desk; there, she saw Peter on the phone, "…I know that it's tough finding a kidney, but this is important," Peter snapped, unaware that Amy was lingering behind him. "I understand….can you at least move him up the transplant list?"

There was muffled talking on the other end of the line and a click, "Great," Peter scoffed as he hung up the phone and sighed. "…What I wouldn't give for a miracle right now."

"I take it that the kidney search isn't going so well, Peter?" Amy asked, concerned for Carter's health.

Turning around to face Amy, Peter shook his head, "We removed the dead kidney and Carter's responding to the dialysis so far," he explained in a solemn tone. "How are you feeling, Amy?"

"Well, I'm feeling a lot better now that the first trimester is almost done," Amy replied gently. "Now that my family is back together, I'm feeling like I can handle almost everything. I'm anxious for the future."

There was a momentary silence, "I'm scheduled to do Nathan's takedown surgery," Peter said in a gentler tone. "Elizabeth was supposed to do it, but she's at some career day thing at Ella's school."

"Dave mentioned that yesterday," Amy replied, smiling. "He says that Daniel is excited for it today."

Peter nodded, understanding that Dave was doing his best as a single parent to try and provide Daniel with every educational opportunity possible, "Anyway, after the surgery, Nathan will need to stay in the hospital at least overnight to make sure there's good internal function and no post-op infections."

"Nathan kicked me out of pre-op, he said he could handle things," Amy commented gently. "Maybe I'll go visit Jeanie while he's in surgery. She just got back from a trip to New York City two days ago."

There was a hint of curiosity in Peter's eyes, "Oh yeah?" he asked. "How's Jeanie doing?"

"Since the clinic was destroyed, Jeanie spends a lot of time volunteering in drop-in-centers as a physician's assistant and spending a lot of time with Chase," Amy explained, remembering the fun that she, Jeanie, and Chase had the day before during their walk in the park. "Dave helps with Chase too."

Again, Peter nodded, "Ever since I saw her last Christmas, I've been missing Jeanie," he admitted, a tone of sheepishness in his voice. "If you do meet up with her today, could you tell her that I said hello?"

"I will," Amy promised, giving Peter an understanding look. "Do you have rounds before the surgery?"

Peter sighed, "Yeah, I'd better get going," he said in a resigned tone. "Take care of yourself."

As Peter walked off, Amy turned and, pulling her cell-phone from her pocket, she dialed a familiar number, "…Jeanie, hi, it's Amy," she said as she walked back towards the elevator. "What's up?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>North Winds Elementary School, Chicago<strong>_

"Daniel?"

Ignoring the pain in his gut, Daniel gazed at Ella, who was sitting on the swing next to him; his stomach had been hurting ever since he got up, but he hadn't wanted to tell his dad that he wasn't feeling well.

"You okay?" Ella asked in a worried voice. "Do you want me to get my mom over here?"

Daniel sighed, "No, I'm okay," he replied in a quiet voice. "I don't want to be a bother to anyone."

As Ella and Daniel continued talking, Elizabeth and the yard teacher came into the playground; they were deep in conversation about what the morning would involve. Neither of them noticed a young boy dressed in oversized clothes enter the playground and throw his backpack on the bench.

The boy walked over to the swings, "I want to swing," he said, pointing to Ella's swing. "Get off."

"There's a swing on the other side of me," Daniel said pointing to the empty swing.

Scowling, the boy grabbed the chains of Ella's swing, "My name is Alex and this is my first day of school here," Alex said, a scowl on his face. "I want THIS swing right now!"

Unaware that Alex's shouting had attracted the attention of both Elizabeth and the yard teacher, Daniel got off his swing and pushed Alex away from Ella, "Get away from my friend," Daniel said angrily.

Before Alex could reply, Daniel suddenly winced and puked on the ground, "EW, THAT'S GROSS!" Alex yelled in a horrified tone as he inched away and moved behind Ella. "I want to swing somewhere else!"

"Who got sick over here?" the yard teacher asked, as she didn't see who had puked at the swing set.

Lucas, who had been nearby, suddenly wandered over and gave Ella a hard shove, causing her to fall on to the ground; there was a sickening pop as Ella used her left arm to break her fall. Alex glared at Lucas.

"Stupid kid," Lucas mumbled in an irritated tone as he moved away from the swing set just in time for the yard teacher and Elizabeth to turn their attention on him. "Hey, don't look at me, Daniel's the one who puked and Alex was bothering Ella for her swing…I have better things to do then listen to kids cry."

Elizabeth scowled at Lucas, but quickly turned her attention on Daniel, "Daniel, it's Doctor Corday," she said in a gentle voice. "Is there anything else wrong besides the puking?"

Embarrassed about puking in public, Daniel began crying and as Elizabeth pulled the scared child into a reassuring hug, "My dad doesn't know I'm not feeling good," Daniel said in a quiet voice. "He was worried, but I told him I was okay and left before he could stop me…I was excited for class today."

"Call the police!" the yard teacher yelled at Elizabeth as she dragged Lucas towards the front door of the school. "This behavior has gone on long enough, Lucas Romano! I warned you about it last week!"

Acting nothing like himself, Lucas swore, violently pulled out of the teacher's grip, and bolted off the school grounds before anyone could stop him; it was if he was on something that altered his behavior.

"Never mind the police, call an ambulance!" Elizabeth yelled, horrified that along with Daniel being sick, Ella had suffered a potential injury; both would require immediate medical attention at County.

The yard teacher nodded and hurried inside the school to use the phone; worried about if Daniel and Ella would be okay, Alex knelt down next to Daniel and held his hand as Elizabeth focused on Ella.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Chicago alleyway<em>**

Realizing that he was far enough away from the school to not get caught, Lucas quietly slipped into a nearby alleyway and sighed; ever since he had started taking those pills that he got from Sarah, he had felt weird and full of power at the same time; he had only been taking them once a day for a week.

Letting out a sigh, Lucas pulled the bottle of pills out of his coat pocket; the label read 'Speed', but Lucas didn't know what that meant. The pills had just helped him to feel better since the whole incident with Katie. Now that everything was okay, Lucas knew that he should throw the pills away, but he couldn't…

As he popped another pill, Lucas quickly put the bottle back in his pocket; if his grandfather, mother, or Luka ever found out that Sarah had unintentionally left drugs for him to take, he'd be in big trouble. Nathan would want to beat the crap out of him and Erinn would most likely cry about him taking drugs...Joe was too young to have a reaction.

Dry swallowing the pill, Lucas quickly left the alley and hurried down the street; if he was quick, he could get rid of the side-effects before the end of school that day…it had worked before.

Ever since he started taking the pills to help him not miss his mother, Luka, and Katie so much while they were in Africa, Lucas reasoned that he just needed to offset the stress a little longer…and then he'd throw the pills away for good, confess what he had done, and go back to being his innocent self…maybe.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Detailed reviews please?<strong>_


	2. Old And New Shadows

_**Nephrology Floor – Cook County General Hospital**_

Gazing through the rain spattered window, Dave let out a sigh; it hadn't taken a long time to clean Victor up and get him some clean clothes, but something about the whole encounter made Dave uneasy.

Instead of focusing on the negatives, however, Dave had returned his white coat to his locker for safekeeping and had decided to pay a visit to Carter to calm his frayed nerves over Elton's call.

"Dave?"

Dave turned and saw Abby standing outside the door to Carter's room with a coffee cup in her hand and a small smile on her face, "I'm just on break and I thought I'd come up to visit Carter," he explained, smiling at Abby. "Where's the baby? Did Adele already find a placement for her?"

"The baby's in with John," Abby replied in a gentle tone. "Having her nearby helps him to feel better."

Dave nodded and moved over to the door; through the glass window, he could see Carter in bed with a dialysis access in one arm and IV lines in the other, chest tubes underneath a clean gown, and a blanket covering him from the waist down while pillows supported his back. The baby was in a carrier on a chair that had been placed beside the bed and she was awake, dressed in a sleeper, and smiling at Carter.

"Carter doesn't look well," Dave stated in a low voice, seeing that Carter was trying hard to stay awake so that he could watch the baby look at him. "Is the baby healthy enough to be in there with him?"

Abby nodded, "She tested negative for HIV and only had a little dehydration," she replied softly. "It would mean so much to Carter, I think, if you came in for a moment and visited him."

Even though he figured Carter would want to see anyone other than him, Dave nodded and followed Abby into the hospital room. For a moment, Carter didn't even realize that Dave and Abby were there.

"Carter, Dave came by to visit," Abby stated in a gentle voice. "How are you feeling?"

Carter looked away from the baby at Dave and Abby, "Hey Dave," Carter said in weak voice. "Nice of you to come by and visit…how are you and Daniel doing these days?"

"We're okay," Dave replied, giving Carter a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling?"

Carter sighed, "The dialysis keeps me alive," he replied faintly. "I just don't know for how much longer…"

There was silence as tears filled Carter's eyes, "Abby, I need to tell you something," he said in a tired voice. "Back when I was first well enough to have visitors, I had a lawyer come by while you were out-"

"John, don't," Abby interrupted, not wanting to deal with the fact that Carter was in danger of dying.

Carter cleared his throat, "—I had a lawyer come by and draft up a new will," he continued, ignoring the looks of discomfort on both Abby and Dave's faces. "I left everything to you, so you'll be okay."

Dave bit his lip and said nothing, but he was cringing about Carter's words inside, "John, thank you," Abby replied in a strained voice. "I just don't know what I'd do, though, if you-"

"I'll write reference letters so you can find work if you want to," Dave quietly offered, swallowing hard.

Carter blinked tiredly and smiled; he was beginning to wish he were asleep, but he didn't want to be rude in sending his visitors away. After all, they did take time out of their days to visit with him.

"Well, Carter, I should really get back to the ER," Dave said, seeing the tiredness in Carter's eyes. "I'm technically finished my break and I'm sure there are plenty of patients to see. Nice seeing you."

Carter managed a weak nod, "Abby will walk you out, if you want," he said. "She could probably use a break and some time to spend with the baby anyway. Give my love to everyone in the ER, Dave."

Swallowing hard, Abby nodded and gently kissed Carter. She then carefully picked up the carrier and moved towards the door, amused that the baby was gurgling happily. Dave moved over to the door.

Everything became quiet as Carter drifted back to sleep; a tear suddenly slid down his pale face.

Not wanting to wake Carter up, Dave held the door for Abby as she carried the baby out of the room and then followed her into the hall, carefully closing the door behind him. Neither of them knew what to say.

"Excuse me, Doctor Malucci?" a concerned voice suddenly piped up from behind Dave.

Dave turned and saw a young nurse standing behind him holding a piece of paper, "The ER called and said that Doctor Corday is bringing Daniel from the school in an ambulance," she said in a worried tone.

All the color drained from Dave's face, "Did they say why?" he asked, imagining the worst.

The nurse shook her head and Dave looked at Abby apologetically, "Dave, we'll be fine," Abby said, knowing how much Daniel meant to Dave. "Go take care of your son. I hope he's okay."

Dave nodded and took off towards the elevator at a run. Abby sighed and looked down at the baby.

Maybe some food, rest, and a little time outside of the hospital would do them both some good.

Ever since Carter had been admitted, Abby hadn't spent a lot of time away from the hospital because she was either worrying about Carter or doing what she could for the baby; she loved them both.

* * *

><p><em><strong>O.R. # 3<strong>_

The sound of nurses talking and starting up machines were somewhat relaxing, Nathan thought as he lay there, his back touching the cold operating table while a gown was draped loosely over his front. His casted arm was still in its sling and, he didn't want to say anything, but it hurt and the cast itched a lot.

Letting out a tired sigh, Nathan closed his eyes and took a deep breath to relax, "…Nathan Romano?" a feminine British accent suddenly said as Nathan suddenly felt a warm hand touch his own.

Nathan opened his eyes and saw a dark-skinned woman dressed in surgical scrubs, a cap, and a mask hovering over him, "Doctor Benton got paged to cover the ER so I was assigned to do your takedown," Neela explained. "I'm Doctor Rasgotra-Gallant and you're going to be fine. Just relax, all right?"

"Doctor Rasgotra, anesthesia's ready," a voice suddenly said. "We'll give him a little sedative."

Nathan sighed, "Okay," he said, suddenly feeling a prick in his good arm. "I'm ready."

As Nathan fell asleep, Neela sighed and watched the nurses prepare a tray and give her a surgical gown, goggles, and gloves. Nathan looked so young to have to deal with this, but here he was on the table.

The phone suddenly rang and a nurse promptly answered it with a traditional hospital greeting, "…Doctor Rasgotra, it's your husband calling long-distance from Iraq," the nurse stated.

"Put it on speaker," Neela stated in a relieved voice. "I'll talk while I do the takedown."

Nodding, the nurse promptly activated the speaker phone and as the surgery began, Neela focused on operating while responding to her husband's voice; it had been a while since they had spoken.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Emergency Room – Trauma One<em>**

"…Lucas did this?" Dave asked as he examined Ella's swollen and bruised arm. "Ella, does this hurt?"

Ella nodded and tried not to cry, "Lucas was acting really weird and he was really angry," she said in a quiet voice. "Is Daniel okay? He threw up while we were on the swings."

Dave sighed and briefly gazed over into the next trauma room where Elizabeth had settled Daniel on a gurney and was taking care of him with Lydia's help. When Dave had arrived downstairs, he had been given the responsibility of caring for Ella while Elizabeth offered to look after Daniel. Dave had checked Ella's vitals, given her an IV, and had now determined that Ella's arm might be broken.

With a sigh, Dave looked back at Ella; she was obviously scared, but trying to be very brave for him.

"Well, Ella, you need to have a picture taken of your arm," Dave said as he wrote an order for pain meds and an x-ray on the chart and handed it to Haleh. "It might be broken, but I'm not quite sure."

Ella cringed and looked over at the other room, "Doctor Dave, I want my mom and dad," she said in a quiet voice as she tried hard not to cry. "My arm really hurts and I don't know why Lucas hurt me."

"I don't know why he did either," Dave replied slowly, remembering some of the odd behavior he had been seeing from Lucas for the past couple of weeks. "Your mom is gonna come over here as soon as she can and I think someone is trying to find your dad. Do you want some juice or anything?"

Ella was quiet for a moment, "Can I have a book?" she asked quietly. "I really like to read."

Before Dave could reply, the door opened and Mark hurried in, "Ella, oh man," Mark said in a frantic voice as he came over to the gurney. "How are you doing? What happened?"

"Lucas shoved me off the swing," Ella stated quietly. "Doctor Dave's gonna get me a book to read."

Mark's eyes widened, but he didn't want to scare Ella, "Daddy, can you go see if Daniel's okay?" she asked, gazing over at the other trauma room. "He threw up at the school and he's really scared."

Mark frowned and looked over into the other room; Daniel was now in a gown and Elizabeth was doing an abdominal ultrasound on him. Daniel looked very pale and had a bedpan in his hands.

"Doctor Corday wanted me to look after Ella," Dave replied as he gently set Ella's ankle on a pillow that had been placed there by Haleh. "She said that it would be too stressful for me to treat Daniel."

Haleh hung up the phone, "X-ray's ready for her," she stated in a gentle tone. "Want me to take her?"

There was silence and Mark saw that Dave was looking over at the other trauma room again, "Dave, if you want to go sit with Daniel, I can take Ella to x-ray," Mark said in a reassuring tone.

Dave nodded and silently moved to the next trauma room in silence with his eyes focused on Daniel.

Daniel smiled weakly as Dave approached the gurney, "Hey kiddo, I heard you got sick," Dave said in a gentle voice as he took Daniel's hand in his own and gazed at his son. "Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts," Daniel replied in a soft voice. "I wasn't feeling good when I woke up today."

Dave nodded and gently stroked Daniel's bangs back from his forehead, "What tests have been done already?" he asked, not paying attention to whom all was in the room. "I want to stay with him."

"The bloodwork was done and it's not back from the lab yet," Elizabeth stated; she hadn't left the room yet and wanted Dave to have peace of mind. "I did an ultrasound too, but the bloodwork—"

"—will confirm the diagnosis," Dave replied in a soft voice as he gazed down at Daniel. "I know."

There was silence for a moment and then Kerry suddenly entered the room, "Doctor Malucci, I heard at the desk that Daniel had been brought in," she said as she approached the bed. "I understand that you want to tend to your son, but did you happen to take care of Victor Clemente before you came here?"

"Yep, it wasn't hard to patch Victor up," Dave replied softly. "He left right away and I was upstairs visiting Carter when I was told about Daniel by one of the nurses. Victor's chart is at the desk, but—"

Kerry nodded, "I'll take care of it," she replied gently, frowning at Daniel. "How are you doing, Daniel?"

"My stomach hurts," Daniel whispered as he looked at her. "Having my dad here with me helps."

Kerry sighed, "Haleh, would you get Doctor Malucci a chair?" she asked, gazing at Haleh, who was nearby. "Doctor Malucci, I'm going to call in Doctor Faith to cover the rest of your shift, all right?"

Haleh brought a small stool over to the gurney and set it down near Dave, "Thanks Haleh," Dave said in a soft voice as he sat down on the stool. "Doctor Weaver, don't tell Amy about Lucas, okay?"

"Lucas?" Kerry asked, a frown on her face. "How was Lucas Romano involved in all of this?"

Elizabeth scoffed, "Ella said that Lucas was the one that pushed her off the swing," she said as she looked into the other trauma room to check on Ella. "Another boy, Alex Taggart, was also there."

"Why would Lucas do something like that?" Kerry asked in a concerned tone. "It's strange-"

Without warning, Daniel threw up all over his gown and on Dave, "My stomach is really bugging me now, Dad," Daniel whispered as Dave rose and moved the chair away. "I'm sorry for puking on you."

"Could be appendicitis," Kerry replied gently. "What did the bloodwork and ultrasound indicate?"

Dave shrugged, "Doctor Corday did an ultrasound, but the lab results aren't back yet," he stated as he moved towards the door. "Daniel, I need to go clean up, but I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Daniel nodded and Dave left, "I'm just glad my dad wasn't wearing his cool doctor's coat," Daniel said in a tired voice as he looked at the vomit on the floor and then at Kerry. "I love my dad so much."

"I know you do, Daniel," Kerry replied softly. "Your dad seems to love you a lot too."

Elizabeth came over to the gurney, "I'm sorry that your stomach is hurting worse, Daniel," she said in an apologetic voice. "I'll go check on those labs right away. I don't want your appendix to burst."

"I'll stay with him, Elizabeth, don't worry," Kerry promised as Elizabeth moved towards the doors.

As Elizabeth left, Kerry gently stroked Daniel's hair to reassure the young child that he wasn't alone.

Relieved that nobody could recognize him in the janitor uniform that he had borrowed from the hospital laundry room, Victor watched as Dave, who had puke on his scrubs, disappear into the shower room.

Victor grinned; Elton would enjoy hearing that Dave Malucci was still working at County General and seemed to be balancing work and fatherhood like a pro. It was disgusting that Malucci was doing well.

* * *

><p>"…Aw Mom, I only freaked out because the puke was gross," Victor suddenly heard as a blonde-haired woman in scrubs led a little boy over to the admit area. "My blood sugar's fine."<p>

Sam sighed and lifted Alex on to an empty chair, "Yeah right, kiddo, I know that you didn't eat much breakfast this morning and low blood sugar can cause irritability," she said in a soft voice.

"Hey, I wasn't the meanest one there," Alex replied as he watched his mother rummage under the desk for some food. "That Lucas Romano kid scared the crap out of me. I thought he was gonna hurt me."

Sam nodded and smiled when she unearthed a granola bar, "Here, I want you to eat this and then go make friends with Daniel," she said in a stern voice as she handed him the granola bar. "He's sick and in the trauma room right now with Doctor Weaver. I'm sure he'd like a visit to cheer him up."

Alex nodded, "Okay," he replied in a kind voice as he unwrapped the granola bar. "Love you mom."

"Love you too, kiddo," Sam said, smiling at Alex. "Where's Jerry at? He's supposed to be here."

Alex shrugged and began eating just as Mark came over to the desk with a pair of clean blue scrubs and a white coat under his arm, "Where's Doctor Malucci at?" he asked. "I heard Daniel threw up on him."

"I saw some guy with puke on him go into the shower room," Alex said, his mouth full of granola bar.

Sam sighed, "That answers your question, Doctor Greene," she stated. "How's his son doing?"

"Doctor Weaver's keeping him company while Elizabeth goes and looks for the lab results," Mark replied in a gentle tone. "I grabbed him some clean scrubs from the supply closet and his coat from his locker."

Alex swallowed a mouthful of granola bar, "Why does Daniel's dad wear a coat and scrubs?" he asked, gazing at Sam curiously. "Hey Mom, why don't you go into the shower room and see Doctor Malucci?"

"Uh, Doctor Malucci prefers his privacy," Mark lied, not wanting Dave to suffer any humiliation that would come from Sam possibly seeing Dave's scarred back. "I can take the clothes to him."

Sam nodded and turned her attention back to Alex. Mark sighed and moved towards the shower room.

* * *

><p>Silence greeted Mark as he entered the large shower room and Dave was nowhere in sight either.<p>

"Dave?" Mark asked as he set the clothes on one of the benches. "Dave, are you okay in here?"

There was silence, so Mark moved further in and suddenly came upon Dave standing in front of a mirror with a towel around his waist; he was staring into the mirror at older scars all over his torso and arms.

"Dave?" Mark asked, frowning at the amount of scarring on Dave that indicated past abuse.

Suddenly realizing that he wasn't alone, Dave turned a deep shade of red, grabbed the clothes from Mark's hands and retreated into a changing cubicle, locking the door behind him.

"Thanks for the clothes, Doctor Greene," Dave said in a quiet voice. "Could you grab my shoes from near the shower before you go? I think I left them over there. I don't have any clean socks, but that's okay."

Mark sighed and moved around to the shower area; he could see Dave's shoes, which were wrapped with duct tape, on the floor next to one of the showers and they looked frayed and dirty.

"You should think about investing in a new pair of shoes," Mark stated as he picked up the shoes.

There was silence and then a sigh, "Shoes aren't in the budget right now," Dave replied quietly.

The cubicle door opened, there were footsteps, and then Dave appeared, clad in the clean scrubs with his coat covering them; he carefully took the shoes from Mark and slipped them over his bare feet.

"I've got important expenses which I put a lot of my salary towards," Dave lied in a tired voice. "Nice shoes and new clothes for me are low on my priority list. "I save what I can in case of a rainy day."

There was an awkward silence and then Dave sighed, "I should get back to Daniel," he said in a tired voice. "Doctor Weaver said she was going to call Amy in to cover the rest of my shift today."

Mark nodded and was quiet as Dave left the shower room. Why was Dave so uncomfortable about the extra scarring on his body? Mark sighed; maybe he should do a little detective work on Dave's past and see what had happened to him.

* * *

><p>"…the blood test confirms what the ultrasound showed," Dave heard Elizabeth tell Kerry as he came back into the room and saw Kerry and Elizabeth standing on either side of Daniel's gurney.<p>

Dave immediately saw Daniel frown, "Did you find out why my stomach hurts?" he asked quietly.

"Well, Daniel, it seems that your appendix needs to come out," Elizabeth stated in a gentle tone as she gazed into the next room and saw Mark putting a cast on Ella's arm. "It's a simple operation."

Realizing that Elizabeth was concerned about Ella, Kerry moved towards the other door, "Elizabeth, I can help Mark with Ella," Kerry promised. "I think you and Doctor Malucci can take care of Daniel."

"I don't want you missing work because of me, Dad," Daniel said as he gazed at Dave worriedly.

Dave sighed and took Daniel's hand as Kerry moved into the other room, "It's okay, someone else is going to cover for me so I can be here for you," he said in a soft voice. "I would do anything for you."

"We should really get Daniel upstairs, Doctor Malucci," Elizabeth stated, giving Dave a calm smile.

Dave nodded and helped Elizabeth move the gurney out of the room and down the hall towards the elevator, "Uh, Doctor Corday, could you see if someone could tell Doctor Romano about this? He put his neck out for me to be an ER Attending and I don't want him to think that I'm slacking off."

"I'm sure somebody can let him know," Elizabeth replied as they rolled Daniel's gurney up to the elevator and she pressed the button to go up. "He won't think anything badly of you for this."

Dave nodded just as Sam and Alex came over to the elevators, "I took Alex to the trauma room, but Doctor Weaver said that you were taking Daniel upstairs," she said. "Is everything okay?"

"Daniel has appendicitis," Dave replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the concerned look Sam was giving him. "He needs surgery right away to take it out. I'm going to wait upstairs."

Sam nodded, "Do you want some company?" she asked. "Alex and I could come wait with you."

Dave winced as the elevator door opened, "Uh, no sense in two of us missing our shifts and losing pay," he lied, trying to keep his voice gentle. "Maybe Alex can visit Daniel once he's in a patient room, okay?"

With a sigh, Dave quickly helped Elizabeth roll Daniel into the elevator, "I hope Daniel does okay," Sam said, secretly relieved that Dave wasn't the flirtatious doctor type. "See you later, Doctor Malucci."

The doors slid shut and Sam put an arm around Alex, "Why don't I get you settled in the lounge and you can do your homework that you didn't do last night?" she said as she led him off towards the lounge.

Unknown to anyone, Victor had come back and was posing as a janitor so that he could get information for Elton; he had seen Dave's interactions with everyone, including the discussion with Sam.

Now, armed with information that Malucci was possibly involved in a new relationship, Victor ditched the janitor's shirt in a laundry bin and escaped the ER on another elevator before anyone saw him.

* * *

><p>The sound of video game beeping greeted Amy as she opened the door to her family home and led Jeanie inside the foyer; there were three pairs of boots near the door, but the floor was very clean.<p>

"Luka?" Amy asked as she and Jeanie walked into the living room and saw Katie playing Nintendo while Erinn sat on the couch reading a book. "Erinn, what are you doing home from school early and Katie, what are you doing playing Nintendo? I thought I left you schoolwork to do this morning."

Katie paused the game and smiled at Amy, "Daddy Luka let me have a break from the work," Katie said.

"Erinn, why are you home already?" Amy asked again, nodding at Katie's explanation. "Are you okay?"

Erinn sighed, "I wasn't feeling good this morning," she lied, not wanting to tell her mother or Luka that she had not wanted to go to school with Lucas because he had been acting semi-abusive lately.

Amy frowned and moved over to the couch, "Does Luka even know you're home?" she asked as she sat down next to her oldest daughter. "He or I could have come to the school if you had called."

Erinn shook her head and scooted closer to Amy, but before Amy could reply, the phone rang from the other room. As she pulled Erin into a cuddle, Amy heard Luka answer it and Joe's tiny gurgles.

"Amy, it's Kerry on the phone," Luka said as he came into the living room. "She needs to talk to you."

Amy nodded and, taking the phone, she watched as Luka frowned at Erinn and silently moved back into the kitchen. "Hi Kerry, how are you?" Amy asked in a gentle voice. "…..Really? Oh man, oh man."

There was silence for a few moments, "Yes, I can come in and cover the rest of Dave's shift," Amy said in a gentle voice as she gazed at Jeanie. "I'll come in right away…..Okay, Kerry, see you soon. Bye."

Amy clicked the cordless phone off and set it on the end table next to the couchjust as Luka came back into the living room with Joe in his arms, "I have to go cover the rest of Dave's shift," she said in a tired tone. "Daniel came into the ER with appendicitis and has to have surgery. Kerry asked me to work so that Dave can stay with Daniel."

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Luka asked in a concerned voice. "You already took Nathan to the hospital this morning on the El. Are you sure you won't get too tired or stressed from ER work?"

Jeanie smiled and Amy chuckled, "Luka, I'm perfectly fine," Amy replied gently. "I just need someone to look after Erinn, Katie, and Joe for a while. I want you to go and be with Nathan tonight, okay?"

"I can stay with the kids for a while," Jeanie offered. "I'll even go get Lucas at school for you."

Amy smiled, "That would be excellent," she said as she took Joe from Luka and handed him to Jeanie. "I trust you with my kids, don't worry. I think Lucas plans to play basketball after school, though."

Jeanie nodded and smiled as Joe touched her face, "There's a box of surgical gloves in the kitchen if Joe ends up needing to be changed," Amy explained gently as she stood up. "Or Erinn can change him."

"I'll drive us both to the hospital," Luka stated in a firm voice. "You'll need lots of energy for work."

Amy nodded, gently stroked Erinn and Katie's hair, and kissed Joe's cheek, "Be good for Jeanie," Amy stated in a gentle voice as Luka went to get the keys. "Jeanie, when Lucas comes home, tell him to do his homework, all right?"

Luka returned with the keys and put an arm around Amy, "Let's go," he said in a gentle tone.

Amy nodded and allowed Luka to lead her out of the house. As the door closed, Jeanie smiled and sat down next to Erinn. She was about to remind Katie to turn the Nintendo off when the phone rang.

With a sigh, Jeanie reached for the phone and turned it on, only to hear a dial tone; she sighed and clicked the phone off, "Katie, your mom said to turn off the Nintendo," she said in a gentle tone.

Katie nodded and turned the machine off, "My schoolwork's in the kitchen," she said, standing up and smiling at Jeanie. "Erinn, can you help me with it? I wanna get it done quickly so I can have fun."

"I'm gonna have a nap for a little while," Erinn softly replied. "Can you have Jeanie help you?"

Katie nodded and grabbed Jeanie's free hand; she gently dragged both her and Joe into the kitchen.

Erinn sighed and laid back; she felt absolutely terrible and anxious, but didn't want to bother Luka, her mother, or anyone else with her worries. She could handle the stress of Lucas and her personal life on her own, hopefully.

* * *

><p>Shivering anxiously, Lucas hung up the receiver and moved away from the pay phone; the Speed was starting to wear off again, but he had used up the whole bottle and needed more to calm down.<p>

Now that his mind was clearer, Lucas realized that he could have seriously hurt Ella by pushing her off the swing and that the school would most likely contact his mother about the incident. He had become dependent on the pills from Sarah's bag and found that without them, he was starting to lose focus.

As he moved into a quiet cemetery to calm himself, Lucas sighed; he knew he was in big trouble and that if he didn't talk to someone about it, his problems would only get worse and he could end up dead.

Swallowing hard, Lucas sank to his knees behind a tree and buried his face in his hands; all he wanted to do was make the pain and anxiety go away. Even if death was the only solution, he would embrace it.

Getting to his feet, Lucas was about to leave when he saw Dr. Benton enter the cemetery dressed in a suit and greatcoat with a nice bouquet of flowers in his hand; he looked relaxed, but very somber.

Lucas watched as Dr. Benton walked over to a nice tombstone near the middle of the cemetery and placed the bouquet on it; tears fell down Dr. Benton's face like rain, but Lucas didn't see them.

Not wanting to deal with any more stress, Lucas quietly slipped out of the cemetery; maybe he would visit the hospital and fake a medical problem severe enough that the docs would give him something.

Little did he know that Victor, who had been walking to catch a bus to the penitentiary to visit Elton with the information he garnered, had seen the entire scenario and was planning to tell Elton everything.

* * *

><p>Swallowing hard, Dave hugged himself as he looked through the O.R. observation window; Elizabeth and the nurses appeared to be dealing with the anesthetized Daniel very gently and taking their time.<p>

Panic rose in Dave's chest; he had been through a lot of surgeries as a child and teenager and he didn't want Daniel to go through surgery at all. At least the appendicitis wasn't something he caused.

"Doctor Malucci?" a concerned, yet very familiar voice asked as Dave began to rock back and forth.

Swallowing hard, Dave turned and saw Dr. Romano lingering in the doorway, "Kerry called my office and told me about Daniel having appendicitis," Dr. Romano stated in a soft voice as he walked over to Dave.

Dave nodded and bit his lip, "I spent enough time in hospitals as a kid," he stated in a toneless voice as he fought to keep from crying. "I didn't want Daniel to have to spend time in the hospital at ALL."

"I will say again what I said back when you first came into my care," Dr. Romano stated firmly as he gave Dave a gentle, yet very determined look. "Not everything is always within your control and that is NOT your fault; things just happen. You are not your father; you have a good heart and are very kind."

A tear slid down Dave's cheek, "After what I went through as a kid, seeing the hospital as a patient makes me uneasy," he stated softly, unaware that he was tensing up. "Ever since Dana was killed, I've always worried that I wasn't being a good enough father. I hate seeing Daniel undergo surgery like this."

"Well, Dave, I don't think it's a good idea for you to continue watching the surgery," Dr. Romano stated in a gentle, yet very firm voice. "I talked to Doctor Corday and she'll page me when the surgery's done."

Dave was silent, so Dr. Romano put an arm around him, "Let's go sit in the cafeteria and you can eat something decent while we wait," Dr. Romano stated in a no-nonsense tone. "I know Kerry called Amy in to cover the rest of your shift and that's fine. You're too stressed out to see patients anyway."

"Can we go to the hospital chapel where it's a little quieter?" Dave asked in a quiet voice. "I've never been much of a religious person, but the noise in the cafeteria would be a little too noisy right now."

Dr. Romano sighed, "Look, I'm willing to walk you over to the Jumbo Mart instead of the cafeteria for some food, but you WILL eat a proper meal," he said in a stern tone. "Either we go over there now and don't come back until Daniel is in a room, or I admit you for a stress test and observation."

"All right, we'll go," Dave replied, letting out a deep sigh of resignation. "Thank you for caring about me."

Dr. Romano nodded and gently led Dave out of the observation area to calm him down; as they moved towards the elevator, Dave sighed and tried to focus on relaxing and thinking that all would be well.

Little did they know, however, that the coming days, both the patience and faith of many would be tested heavily.


	3. Connections and Tribulations

_**Cook County ER**_

Silence greeted Amy as she entered the ER through the employee entrance; she saw Jerry at the desk with Tony, who looked somewhat distressed. There were no patients waiting outside of the 'cage'.

"-I need that evaluation before I can switch to summer paramedic duty," Tony told Jerry as Amy approached the desk. "It's not due til tomorrow, but I want to spend time with Sarah today."

Before Amy could tell Tony that Dave was off-duty, Mark and Elizabeth came down the hall towards the desk with Ella, who had a coat over her shoulders while her arm was in a cast and sling.

"—Peter's coming in to help out so that you can be with Ella," Mark said as he guided Elizabeth over to the door that would let her and Ella out of the ER. "Doctor Rasgotra is also on call for Surgery."

Elizabeth nodded and put an arm around Ella as they left the ER, "Doctor Greene, where's Doctor Malucci?" Tony asked in a concerned voice. "I need him to fill out the evaluation on my rotation."

"Doctor Malucci's son came down with appendicitis and is having surgery," Mark replied, giving Tony a thoughtful look. "Doctor Faith is here to work so that Doctor Malucci can spend time with his son."

Tony looked concerned, but nodded, "You might as well refer to me as Doctor Kovac, Mark," Amy said as she removed her coat and revealed oversized scrubs. "Tony, just leave the form in his box."

"Wow, you look radiant," Tony commented as he placed the form in Dave's box. "How far along?"

Amy smiled, "Just finished the first trimester," she replied gently. "Mark, got any patients for me?"

Before Mark could reply, an angry young woman strode into the ER and banged on the door, "Tony, let me in before I scream!" the woman hissed, glaring at the group. "I got bored with school."

Tony looked alarmed and rushing over to the door, he hit the switch to open it, "Why did you cut school for no apparent reason, Sarah?" he asked as she strode to the desk. "What happened?"

"I just hate school," Sarah snapped, taking no notice of the other people at the desk. "Besides, there's a cool concert in Rogers Park tonight that's featuring a live band and I want to go get ready for it."

Mark gave Tony a look, "I didn't know you had a daughter?" he asked, his tone one of curiosity.

"It's complicated, Doctor Greene," Tony replied, his full attention on Sarah. "I told you already that you aren't tramping off to Rogers Park and hanging out at a concert in the dead of night, Sarah."

Sarah pouted, "I'm old enough to do what I want!" she whined. "You can't force me to listen!"

Seeing that Tony was looking flustered and uncertain, Amy moved forward to try and calm the distraught girl down; however, Sarah shoved Amy back against the desk and ran off outside.

"Sarah!" Tony yelled, his voice full of irritation as he ran after the distressed teenager. "Sarah!"

Biting her lip, Amy placed a hand on her stomach for a second, "Amy, are you all right?" Mark asked, concerned that Sarah shoving Amy might have harmed the baby. "Do you need medical attention?"

"No Mark, I'm fine," Amy said in a breathless voice. "My back is a little sore, but I'm all right."

Mark nodded, but still looked concerned, "Why don't you rest at the desk for a little while?" he suggested as he took her arm and guided her to an empty chair. "If we get busy, I'll need your help, but until then, just take it easy. I don't want you overdoing it today, all right?"

"Mark, don't tell Luka about this," Amy said as she sat down and slouched. "He'll worry too much."

Mark sighed, "I won't, but you should," he replied. "You have to accept that Luka loves you a lot."

"I know, but it's hard," Amy confessed softly, unaware that Jerry had slipped away for a break. "I don't usually handle relationships like how I handled getting to know Luka. There was something about him, though; something about him and Joe helped me to feel safe about loving him."

With a sigh, Amy stood up, "I didn't sleep well last night," she said in a quiet tone as she placed a hand on her aching back. "Luka sleeps like a rock; he didn't even hear me get out of bed."

Mark frowned in concern, but remained silent, "I got a letter from the Illinois Justice Department the other day and Elton's case is going to trial next month," Amy explained in a distressed voice. "His lawyer is forcing the judge to request Nathan's testimony. I don't want Nathan to have to testify."

"Has Nathan talked to anyone about the attack?" Mark asked in a voice of gentle concern.

Amy shook her head, "I've approached Nathan with the idea, but he says he's not ready," she replied in a gentle voice. "Luka and I have been keeping an eye on him, as has Dave. Nathan is sleeping well enough, eating properly, and doing his home-study program. He'll talk about it when he's ready."

Mark nodded, "I was attacked several years back and it took me some time to talk about it," he explained in an understanding voice. "Maybe Nathan should talk about the attack with someone he trusts and comfortable with. He seems to trust Doctor Malucci quite a bit."

Amy nodded, but before she could reply, Dave and Dr. Romano came into view and approached the doors; Dr. Romano looked very satisfied and Dave looked nervous and was holding a full grocery bag.

Smiling, Amy hurried over and pressed the button that opened the door, "I took Doctor Malucci over to the Jumbo Mart because he needed to get some groceries," Dr. Romano stated as the two entered the ER. "Doctor Malucci, why don't you stash those things in the lounge fridge for now and I'll see to it that they get delivered to your place later on, okay? We'll go up to the cafeteria when you're done."

Giving Dr. Romano a grateful look that wasn't missed by Mark, Dave nodded and hurried into the lounge with his groceries. Dr. Romano glared at Mark and whispered to Amy, who nodded.

"If you'll both excuse me," Amy said in a gentle voice; she promptly moved off to the lounge.

Dr. Romano sighed and moved over to Jerry, "Jerry, are there any messages for Doctor Malucci?" he asked in a brisk tone, giving Jerry a no-nonsense look. "Greene, don't you have patients to see?"

"Yeah, there's a letter from North Winds Elementary School and a letter from the Kenner Institute, "Jerry began as he gathered up a small pile of mail from Dave's box. "A med-student evaluation…"

Dr. Romano scowled and snatched the mail from Jerry, "Thank you," he replied snappishly. "I'm sure that Doctor Malucci doesn't want his personal life aired out all over the ER, even if it is quiet."

Jerry nodded and blushed as Dave and Amy came out of the lounge, "Dave's just going to do an ultrasound to make sure that Sarah didn't cause any damage when she shoved me," Amy said in a gentle voice as she caressed her abdomen. "I don't have a regular OB yet and I trust Dave—"

"Amy, it's all right," Dr. Romano said in a gentle tone. "Doctor Malucci, you have a little bit of mail."

Dave nodded, "Just leave it in my box," he said in an absentminded tone. "I'll take care of it later."

"Dave, let's go to Exam One," Amy said as she gently touched his arm. "It's quiet there."

Mark frowned, "If you need a nurse, check the nurse's station," he said in a concerned tone.

Dave nodded and led Amy off down the hallway towards the exam rooms, "I'll make sure Doctor Malucci gets his mail and his groceries," Dr. Romano stated. "Greene, stop staring at me like that."

"Why are you being so nice to Malucci?" Mark asked, giving Dr. Romano a suspicious look.

Dr. Romano sighed, "I don't think that's really anyone's business but mine," he replied in a firm voice.

"Since it's not busy, I'm going to crash in the lounge for a bit," Mark stated as she took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I've been in remission for a while now, but I still get tired on occasion."

Dr. Romano nodded and breathed a sigh of relief when Mark walked off to the lounge, "Jerry, if any more mail comes in for Doctor Malucci, make sure it gets to me," Dr. Romano said in a brisk voice. "I am going upstairs for a minute and then I will come and do paperwork in the ER. If you need help before I get back, I believe Nurse Taggart is around here somewhere looking after her kid."

Jerry nodded and Dr. Romano walked off down the hallway, determined to get on with his day.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Surgical Floor<strong>_

The sound of crying and soft talking prompted Neela to look up from the chart that she was holding next to Nathan's gurney; she could see Dr. Benton talking to a young boy in a gown as the nurses pushed the gurney towards another O.R. She sighed and turned her attention back to her patient.

Nathan Romano's takedown had gone well, Neela observed, as she gazed at the pale teenager who lay asleep on the gurney; bandages covered the incisions where the colostomy bag had been removed and were now covered by a clean gown and blankets. His casted arm was also back in its sling. An IV was in his good arm to help with blood loss and possible dehydration as a mere precaution.

Neela sighed and placed the chart on the gurney; all that was left to do was move Nathan into Recovery and wait for him to wake up; hopefully, someone would show up for him by that time.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Nathan," a male voice with an accent suddenly said from behind her.

Neela turned and saw Luka lingering at the nurses' station with a flustered looking nurse, "I'm Luka Kovac, Nathan's stepfather," Luka said as he saw Nathan on the gurney. "Is the surgery over?"

"Doctor Kovac, yes, I remember," Neela replied in a gentle voice as Luka came over. "Yes, the surgery is over and it went well. I want to admit him for a few days just to observe for any complications."

Luka nodded and followed Neela as she moved the gurney into the Recovery ward, "There was some hypertension during the surgery, but medication corrected that," Neela explained as she and Luka got him settled in a corner of the Recovery ward. "I'm not surprised that Nathan's body reacted unconsciously to the surgery, though. From what his records say, he's suffered quite a bit of trauma."

"I'm not sure if you are aware that Nathan was stabbed and badly beaten back in February?" Luka asked as he watched Neela hook Nathan to monitors. "That would probably explain the trauma."

Neela shook her head, but didn't elaborate, "I just want to be cautious," she replied as she placed the chart on the gurney. "You can stay with Nathan if you want. He should wake up in an hour or two."

Luka nodded as Neela moved away, "I'll check back in about an hour," she said in a gentle voice.

Again, Luka nodded and was silent as Neela left; he gently smoothed bangs off of Nathan's forehead and took a seat on a stool beside the gurney. For once, Nathan looked peaceful and calm.

Letting out a sigh, Luka stood up and moved over to a supply shelf; he took a blanket off the top, unfolded it, and brought it back to the gurney. He carefully placed it over Nathan's chest and put his good arm on top of the blanket so not to detach the pulse-ox clip or IV line.

"Rest well, young one," Luka whispered in a quiet voice as he sat back on the stool. "I love you."

Nathan remained asleep and Luka sighed; maybe it would be better to let Nathan sleep in Recovery and wait until the teen was in a proper hospital room before trying to bond with him.

As Luka rose to leave, however, he felt a hand on his arm; he looked down to see that Nathan appeared to still be asleep, but had reached out with his good hand to hold him in place.

"Don't…leave," Nathan said in a faint whisper. "I can't open my eyes…want to sleep…stay."

Luka gently took Nathan's hand in his own and realized that it was cold, "I should tell Doctor Rasgotra that you're awake," Luka stated in a gentle tone as he gazed at the semi-conscious Nathan.

"It won't last, don't bother," Nathan murmured softly. "She'll know when she comes back."

Luka sighed and opened his mouth to reply, but Nathan quickly drifted off again; he had been starting to wake up when the surgery had finished, but had pretended to still be asleep to avoid concern.

With a sigh, Luka continued to hold Nathan's hand, being mindful of the pulse-ox clip on his finger. Nathan was a good kid in his eyes; he just needed a father to tell him that.

* * *

><p><em><strong>EL Platform – The Loop<strong>_

Ignoring the growling in his stomach, Lucas rubbed his hands together and continued to anxiously pace up and down the platform; he just wanted to get away from everything he knew.

The plan to go to the ER and fake sickness was a bad idea, Lucas knew, and going home while still looking, feeling, and acting as if he were going to be severely ill was a good way to get in trouble.

Sleep was what Lucas really craved and he hated both life and himself for even taking the pills that had fallen out of Sarah's purse; he had always been taught by his mother, grandfather, and Dr. Dave that drugs were bad and if a person took them, they could get sick or end up addicted to them.

Lucas was so preoccupied with his ever-increasing symptoms that he didn't notice that Ray, Sarah, and Rachel had come on to the platform; they had seen him and were discussing his odd behavior.

"Hey kid, are you all right?" Ray asked as he approached Lucas and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Lucas turned and gazed at Ray, immediately noticing that Sarah and Rachel were standing behind him, "Look, sir, I just wanna get out of here," Lucas stated in a weak voice. "I don't feel well."

"Ray's a doctor, Lucas," Sarah stated in an amused tone, thinking Lucas was faking. "He can help."

Ray grinned, but Rachel looked uncomfortable at the idea of him looking after Nathan's brother and possibly making him worse, "We're headed to Rogers Park to get ready for the show, but I can take a look at you beforehand," Ray said as he looked Lucas over. "Wanna come with us on the EL?"

"Hold it, guys, maybe we shouldn't do this," Rachel said as she moved closer to Ray and Lucas. "I think that Doctor Kovac, Doctor Faith, and Doctor Malucci would be angry about Lucas being out here alone and sick. We should take him to County for help. I think Doctor Malucci is working today-"

Sarah hooted, "Doctor Malucci doesn't know anything," she said in an amused tone.

"Nobody needs to know about this," Ray stated in a reassuring home. "I can help you, Lucas."

Swallowing hard, Lucas nodded and was silent as the EL pulled up and Ray carefully escorted him on to the crowded train as Rachel and Sarah followed. There would no doubt be trouble from this later.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Exam One - Cook County ER<strong>_

"Okay, if you'll just lie down and lift your shirt, I'll squirt the gel and do an ultrasound," Dave said as he rolled the ultrasound machine into the exam room and saw Amy sitting on the bed.

Amy smiled, "Dave, I've got an OB/GYN," she replied softly. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"I keep getting messages from the police about me giving my statement," Dave replied softly as he sat in one of the visitors' chairs. "Back when Elton kidnapped Katie, he tried to take Daniel from school and I stopped him. I couldn't stop him from taking Katie, though, as he tried to kill me."

Amy sighed, "Dave, why didn't you tell anyone about this?" she asked as she rose from the bed and walked over to where he was sitting. "What did you do after you had this encounter with Elton?"

"I sat on the curb for a little while until someone from Daniel's school helped me inside," Dave replied in a calm tone as he looked at his 'sister'. "They let me sit in the school to dry off for a little while and got Daniel and I supper from the cafeteria. After my clothes were dry, we went back to Luka's."

Amy sighed, "Didn't Luka ask about why you two were so late?" she asked in a tone of heavy concern.

"I made up some excuse about arranging tutoring for Daniel, I think," Dave quietly replied. "Luka was busy feeding Joe and didn't press me about it. I got Daniel doing schoolwork and had a hot shower. Luka found out about it when the police decided to drop by the ER, though. I think he was upset."

Before Amy could reply, the door opened and Dr. Romano entered the room, "Dave, we need to talk in privately for a little while," he said in a quiet voice, his hand full of opened letters. "Amy, are you all right covering the admit area for a little while? Doctor Greene is in the lounge if things get busy."

"Yeah Dad, I'll keep Jerry company," Amy said. "I plan to catch up on my charts until it gets busy."

Giving Dave a reassuring smile, Amy silently left the room, "Ever since you came back from Africa, Dave, I have been very worried about you," Dr. Romano stated in a soft voice. "What's going on?"

"Stress, I guess," Dave murmured in a toneless voice. "Being a single dad and doctor is difficult."

Dr. Romano gave Dave a look, but nodded, "All right, I won't press it for now," Dr. Romano replied in a gentle voice. "Let's go upstairs to the cafeteria and I will buy you something to tide you over."

Dave nodded and sighed, "Food will probably clear my head," he replied softly. "Money's tight again, but you shouldn't have to pay for my groceries. I can always find a job at another clinic-"

"I will get on the phone later and scream at Admin about the crappy pay they give you despite holding the position of an ER Attending," Dr. Romano said in a gentle voice. "Let's go upstairs now, shall we?"

Swallowing hard, Dave moved to the door, "Thanks again, Doctor Romano," he said in a soft voice.

Dr. Romano nodded and silently led Dave from the exam room, keeping a hand on the younger man's arm to reassure him that he was and never would be without a helping hand.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Illinois Correctional Facility<strong>_

The gray sky and cool wind was a relief to Elton; it distracted him from the leg pain and obvious anemia symptoms much better than watching the prison yard exercises currently were.

"How come you're over here on the bench, Elton?" Steve asked, giving Elton a snarky look as he strolled away from the group of exercising prisoners over to the bench were Elton sat.

Elton sighed, "Besides the leg hurting, anemia makes me very tired," he replied gruffly. "It sucks."

"Anemia?" Steve asked, his voice full of concern. "Why aren't the guards helping you with that?"

Shrugging, Elton winced as pain shot up his leg, "It's an overcrowded prison and the guards don't have time to deal with every little problem that prisoners have," he replied in a faint voice. "I threw up most of last night and no guard even came to check on me. I'm probably very low on iron right now."

Before Steve could reply, a guard entered the prison yard with an anxious looking Victor, who was dressed in a nice suit, at his heels. Elton watched as the guard led Victor over to the bench.

"Prisoner Douglas, this young man says he's your cousin," the guard, a lean, muscly man with a crew cut stated as he reached the bench and gestured to Victor. "You have 15 minutes to visit."

As the guard moved away, Victor sat down next to Elton, "I've been doing as you asked and have been stalking your wife and spawn since the whole Africa thing," Victor said in a low voice. "I saw your kid the other day at one of the graveyards. Apparently, he's been taking low doses of Speed daily."

"I figured that Nathan wasn't far off from that," Elton muttered in a dark tone. "I expected him to."

Victor gave Elton a look, "I thought Nathan was 16," he commented. "The kid I saw taking Speed was a lot younger and looked like you. He looked a little overwhelmed and scared when he took it."

"Lucas," Elton replied, absolutely stunned that Lucas of all people would experiment with Speed.

Victor nodded, "I guess that Doctor Malucci guy is too busy working at the hospital to know or care that Lucas is taking drugs," he said in a surly tone. "He is, however, very friendly with new nurses."

"My ex-wife is a nurse," Steve commented in a low voice. "I wonder if she and Malucci got friendly."

Elton hooted, "I wouldn't doubt it," he stated in a faint tone. "Malucci's known for that sort of thing."

"If that Malucci guy is screwing with my ex-wife, I want to beat the crap out of him," Steve hissed, as he didn't want anyone messing with Sam unless he could do it first. "Too bad I'm stuck here."

Victor looked at Elton, "Don't you go to trial soon?" Victor asked quietly. "I remember you saying-"

"Yes, I have a trial in Chicago next month," Elton replied weakly. "I'll be under heavy guard-"

Without warning, Elton passed out and slumped forward, causing him to fall off the bench.

As the guards came running, Victor knelt down next to Elton, "…so tired," Elton whispered.

"I'm a doctor," Victor stated as the guards arrived at the bench. "My cousin has severe anemia."

Elton trembled, "I'm so weak, I need iron," he whispered. "I need to go to a good hospital…."

"There are good hospitals in Chicago," Victor stated in a concerned tone as he gazed up at the guards with a plea in his eyes. "My cousin has a court date there next month, but he needs to be healthy."

One of the guards sighed, "The prison infirmary is overcrowded," he said stiffly. "I will call Chicago."

Elton suddenly vomited and began to convulse, "This is more than anemia," Victor said, suddenly unsure what was going on as Elton continued seizing. "Get some sort of rescue personnel NOW."

Steve swore as one of the guards pulled a radio off of their belt and spoke into it, but Victor remained kneeling next to Elton. Victor let out a deep sigh of relief when Elton suddenly stopped seizing.

"Looks like you got a way back to Chicago," Steve whispered, gazing down at Elton. "Good luck."

* * *

><p>"Aunt Jeanie?"<p>

Recognizing the worry in Erinn's voice, Jeanie turned down the boiling vegetables and turned to see Erinn standing there with a pill bottle in her hand and a worried expression on her tired face.

"I was cleaning the bathroom and I found this behind the toilet," Erinn said as she offered the empty bottle to Jeanie. "A week ago, I saw Lucas take this bottle out of his pocket during recess at school."

Jeanie took the bottle and her heart immediately dropped; it was a bottle of Speed in pill form and the label had indicated that there had been 100 pills in the bottle and the instructions were one per day.

"Oh Lucas," Jeanie whispered softly as she pocketed the bottle. "Erinn, where are Katie and Joe?"

Erinn shrugged, "Joe's probably still asleep in his crib and Katie's doing homework in her room—"

A fresh wail from the baby monitor on the counter cut Erinn off, "Oh, Joe's awake and doing his hungry cry," Erinn stated in a gentle voice. "He tries to talk a lot, but it's hard for him. Can I feed him, Aunt Jeanie? Joe really, really likes it when I feed him."

"Yep, you can go get him and bring him downstairs," Jeanie replied gently. "I'll prepare his food."

Erinn smiled, "After Joe's taken care of, I want you to get Katie ready to go out and we're all gonna go to County and visit your mom and Luka," Jeanie said in a gentle voice. "Does that sound like fun?"

"I love seeing my mom and dad at work," Erinn replied, grinning. "I'll go get Joe and Katie right now."

As Erinn hurried out of the kitchen, Jeanie sighed and moved over to the cordless phone on the wall next to the fridge; it was tempting to call Amy, but Jeanie was scared of stressing her out too much.

However, Jeanie knew that if something was going on with Lucas that involved drugs, her first responsibility was to inform his mother and Luka about the situation. From what she knew of the newly blended family, Amy and Luka loved all of their children and wanted to help them grow.

Jeanie sighed and picked up the receiver; she then quietly began to dial the number for County ER.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cook County ER<strong>_

"Jerry, you are a saint," Amy said, a smile on her face as Jerry came over to the desk with a large plastic bag full of subs, deli salads, and other things that the lounge fridge needed.

Jerry smiled and handed Amy a carefully wrapped sub from Subway, "I even ran down the street to Subway just for you and got you a turkey on whole wheat," he said gently. "Hope you like it."

"Thanks Jerry," Amy replied, eagerly unwrapping the sub as Jerry walked off towards the staff lounge to put the rest of the food in the fridge; she could eat and catch up on some rest after that.

As Jerry disappeared into the lounge, Amy bit into the sub and carefully chewed; the sub was so good and so much better than anything she had eaten in a long time. With her shifts in the ER, volunteering her time with Chase, keeping tabs on Dave and Daniel, and being a mother to five children, it was difficult to get a healthy meal all of the time. However, nobody ever went hungry in their family.

Now that she was pregnant with Luka's child again, Amy knew that she was being dealt a better hand by fate than she had been in the past. Luka seemed to get along with her kids and she was getting along with Joe very well. On top of that, their colleagues seemed to see and treat them all as family.

It was good that her father was taking an active role in ensuring the safety of both her and Dave's growing family lives and active careers; Dave had always been like a brother to her…always.

The sudden ringing of the desk phone brought Amy out of her thoughts; she sighed and scooted the chair over to the phone. Of course the phone would ring while Jerry was away, she thought.

"Hello, County ER," Amy said as she picked up the receiver. "Doctor Amy Kovac speaking."

Amy was silent for a few minutes and then she suddenly frowned, "Jeanie, is everything all right at home?" she asked, her voice full of motherly concern. "…No, Luka's upstairs with Nathan…"

There was silence for the next several moments as Amy listened to Jeanie explain what Erinn had seen Lucas doing with the pill bottle; Amy was quiet, but she was horrified about the situation inside.

"…Jeanie, why don't you take the others out for dinner before you bring them here?" Amy said as she struggled to keep calm. "I'll call the police from here and send them out looking for Lucas…"

Amy listened for a few more minutes until Jeanie ended the call. Swallowing hard, Amy pressed for the dial tone and phoned 9-1-1. Hopefully, Lucas would be promptly found with no harm come to him.

* * *

><p><strong>Can I PLEASE have some detailed reviews on what y'all think of my work so far? It makes it worth it to keep writing this story, as I have some brilliant ideas coming!<strong>


	4. Fast Actions, Frayed Emotions

_**Rogers Park, Chicago – 7 P.M.**_

The loud music and wild singing of Ray Barnett and his band vibrated through the park; the crowd, although it was small, was hyped up because of the music, drugs, and alcohol available to them.

At the front of the crowd, Sarah danced around waving a cigarette while holding a small can of beer in her other hand. Beside her, Rachel was watching as Lucas continued to sit on the ground, half awake.

When they had gotten to Rogers Park, Ray had taken Lucas into the 'staff trailer' and had given him a few syringes to calm him down. Rachel had expressed concern, but Sarah had called her a worrywart and had focused her attention on helping Ray get ready for the show that evening.

Rachel had found herself alone with Lucas and had noticed him getting progressively less aware of his surroundings since Ray had medicated him; she was now worried that Lucas was becoming sick.

"Sarah, Lucas doesn't look too well," Rachel said as she moved over to where Lucas was sitting.

Sarah gave Rachel a look, shrugged, and climbed up on the stage to be with Ray, "Rachel, I feel really, really sick," Lucas whispered, knowing that Rachel wouldn't be able to hear him. "Rachel?"

Rachel frowned; she couldn't exactly make out what Lucas was saying because of the noise, but by the look on Lucas's face, he was probably sick from whatever Ray gave him and could use medical help.

"C'mon Lucas," Rachel said in a hushed voice as she hauled Lucas to his feet and moved through the crowd to the far side of the portable stage; she could feel Lucas's entire body shaking uncontrollably.

As Rachel led him into the back area where the 'staff trailer' was, Lucas gagged and suddenly puked all over the grass, "I guess those pills were bad after all," he whispered as he sank to his knees.

"Pills?" Rachel asked as Lucas continued throwing up. "What pills did you take, Lucas?"

Lucas sighed weakly as he sank to the grass next to the puddles of vomit, "Sarah left some Vicodin stuff at the house a while back and I tried them," he said in a weak voice. "When the bottle was empty, I felt sick and tired all the time, so I stole some Speed pills from the hospital. Ray gave me some needles..."

Fighting the urge to cry, Rachel quickly pulled out her cell-phone and dialed 9-1-1, "Lucas, I'm gonna call for help, okay?" she said in a trembling voice as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Just stay awake."

Lucas nodded and as he watched Rachel talk on the phone, tears began to cascade down his pale face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>County General - Emergency Room<strong>_

Ignoring Mark's concerned glance, Amy took a deep breath and sat down at the desk; she could see several police officers either on patrol; other officers were searching the other floors for Lucas.

"I should have kept a better eye on my kids," Amy said in a monotone voice as she rubbed her abdomen protectively. "When Jeanie told me about the pill bottle that Erinn found in the bathroom, I—"

Mark sighed, "Jerry, call Elizabeth and see if Rachel's home yet," he said in an annoyed tone.

"Rachel said she was going to some concert with her friend, Sarah," Erinn's voice suddenly came from down the hallway as footsteps approached the desk. "They were over at our house a while ago."

Mark turned and saw Jeanie standing there with Joe in her arms while Erinn and Katie lingered on either side of her, "I told Rachel that she couldn't go to that concert," he said in a worried voice.

"Sarah was begging her to go and I guess she did," Erinn replied. "Do you think Lucas is there too?"

Amy looked appalled, "He's nine years old!" she replied in a frantic voice. "Lucas knows right from wrong and he would never go off by himself. Rachel wouldn't force Lucas to do wrong, anyway."

Before anyone could reply, the computer began beeping and Jerry hurried over to check it, "Doctor Greene, there's a mass casualty alert," he said in a worried tone. "There was a concert in Rogers Park and a massive fight broke out when the cops started breaking it up on an anonymous caller's tip."

"How many are we getting?" Mark asked, worried that Rachel had gone to Rogers Park against his counsel and had gotten mixed up in the fight. "Amy, Jeanie, are you okay helping out with this?"

Jerry was silent for a moment as he worked at the keyboard, "That's unknown at the current time, Doctor Greene," he replied apologetically. "The police and paramedics are trying to sort it all out."

"All right, let's prep for multiple traumas," Mark said in an official voice. "Jerry, page every available ER doctor and nurse and tell them to get here a.s.a.p. Amy, can you help prep the rooms?"

Amy sighed, "I should really spend some time with Joe and my girls," she said in a tired voice as she stood up and moved around the desk to where Jeanie stood. "I need to be a better mother to them."

Erinn suddenly burst into tears, "Mom, Lucas stole some Speed from the hospital a week ago," she said in a quiet voice. "It was when we came by for lunch. Lucas didn't tell me how he got it, though."

"Oh man," Amy breathed as she put arms around Erinn and Katie and pulled them close. "Mark, maybe Jeanie can help you prep the rooms. I should really spend some time with the girls and Joe."

Jeanie nodded and handed Joe to Amy, "Luka is upstairs in Peds with Nathan," Amy stated as she winced and quickly passed Joe to Erinn. "Dave is with Doctor Romano and they are waiting for Daniel…"

"Jerry, don't page Luka or Doctor Malucci unless we get really swamped," Mark ordered as he led Jeanie off down the hallway to have her help prep the rooms. "Page everyone else and tell them to hurry."

Jerry nodded and got back on the phone as Amy took Erinn, Katie, and Joe to the lounge.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room – Pediatrics Floor – Cook County General<strong>_

"…_Nathan?"_

Suddenly realizing that he wasn't alone, Nathan opened his eyes and saw that he was in a room that had cute pictures and health posters on the walls; the window was open and showing a vibrant sunset.

"…Nathan?" Nathan suddenly heard Luka say in a gentle voice. "Nathan, are you with me?"

Nathan moved his head and saw Luka sitting in a plastic chair next to the bed with a stethoscope in hand. There was a cup on the portable table that was close to the bed; it was probably full.

Not wanting to pester Luka, Nathan tried to lift his arm and suddenly remembered that his left arm was still in a cast and sling; he realized that his chest and legs were covered in light blankets.

"Do you want some ice chips, Nathan?" Luka asked, noticing Nathan gazing at the cup on the table.

Nathan sighed, "What are you doing here, Luka?" he asked in a sleepy voice. "I didn't expect—"

"You didn't expect me to what?" Luka asked, suddenly realizing that Nathan had a very low self-confidence and didn't expect anyone to care for him. "You didn't expect me to care about you?"

Nathan sighed, "Did I say anything weird in Recovery?" he asked in a sleepy voice.

"You just asked me to stay with you," Luka replied in a sincere voice. "You didn't want to be alone."

There was silence for a moment, "Who's looking after everyone else?" Nathan finally asked as he tried to fight off the urge to go back to sleep; he forced his eyes to stay open and firmly focused on Luka.

"Jeanie is at the house with Erinn, Katie, and Joe," Luka replied softly. "Lucas is not home yet."

Nathan's eyes grew big and he tried to sit up, but immediately winced, "I guess they took the bag out," he said weakly. "Lucas ALWAYS comes home after school. He's only nine and usually comes right home."

"I don't want you to worry about Lucas," Luka said firmly. "Your mother is taking care of finding him."

Before Nathan could reply, Luka's cell-phone began vibrating. Luka frowned and pulled it out of his pants pocket, giving Nathan an apologetic look as he flipped it open and saw that it was the ER.

"This is Luka," Luka said into the phone, keeping his gaze on Nathan. "….Oh, hi Jeanie…."

There was a moment of silence, "…Well, I'm not working tonight because Nathan is in Peds recovering from his takedown," Luka gently said into the phone. "….Wait, Lucas was where?"

Luka's eyes widened in shock and he nodded, "All right, handle it," he replied. "Good bye."

"If Lucas is in trouble, you should go," Nathan replied in a tired voice. "He's got more potential…"

Luka sighed, but said nothing, "Get a wheelchair in here and get me some pants," Nathan said in a tone of determination. "Lucas is my little brother and I want to go downstairs to make sure he's okay."

"Nathan, the anesthetic isn't even fully out of your system yet," Luka protested gently. "You're not really in a condition to go anywhere right now. Besides, Jeanie said there are multiple traumas coming in."

Nathan scoffed, but didn't move, "Can I have some water?" he finally asked in a tired voice.

"All you get is ice chips until you're more alert," Luka stated as he pulled a wrapped plastic spoon from his pocket and unwrapped it. "I'll feed you a few ice chips and then you can sleep a little more, okay?"

Nathan managed a nod and was quiet as Luka fed him a spoonful of partially melted ice chips; neither knew what else to say and there wasn't much else to do but hope and pray that Lucas would be all right.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mercy Hospital – Emergency Room<strong>_

The quiet of the night was broken by the sound of ambulance sirens and red flashing lights nearly blinded Archie Morris as he loafed at the desk with a pizza slice half crammed into his mouth.

Swallowing the pizza, Morris stood and moved around the desk just in time for Morales and Tony to roll a gurney that contained an unconscious Elton into the ER; a prison guard was following the gurney.

"Elton Douglas, 40, LOC in the exercise yard of the Illinois Correctional Facility and seized shortly after that," Morales said as they rolled Elton towards a trauma room. "Administered fluids and O2 en route to the ER, but patient seized again shortly before arrival. His cousin reported him having anemia."

Morris nodded, "Where's this guy's cousin?" he asked as Elton was moved into the trauma room and immediately surrounded by nurses. "Work him up and I'll be back after I get Doctor Pratt."

Ignoring the mutterings of the disgruntled nurses, Morris hurried out of the trauma room and down the hallway; he could see Pratt on the phone near the nurses' station with a broad smile on his face.

"...Makemba love, I wish you could be here with me," Morris heard Pratt say into the phone.

Morris sighed, "Pratt, we've got an LOC in Trauma One," he said in a tired voice. "You're needed."

Greg nodded and whispered something into the phone before hanging up; he then followed Morris back towards the trauma room, unsurprised that Morris was getting him to assist on a simple LOC victim.

However, when Greg entered the room, he recognized Elton immediately, "What happened to him?" Greg asked in a concerned voice. "Last time I saw him, he was in Africa with a leg injury."

"He was brought here from the Illinois Correctional Facility after he fainted and had two seizures," Morris stated in a worried voice as he suddenly noticed a patch of blood on the left leg of Elton's prison uniform. "Greg, why is there a patch of blood on his leg? Maybe his leg suffered further injury."

Greg frowned and grabbing a pair of scissors from one of the trays, he cut open Elton's pant leg and saw that the cast was soaked through with blood; the leg probably had developed a post-op infection.

"I need a saw," Greg said in a gruff tone as he examined the cast. "I need to cut this cast open and look."

Morris cringed and inched towards the door as a nurse handed a cast saw to Greg, "Morris, don't leave yet, this is something you need to learn about," Greg said in a gentle voice. "You're just an intern."

Nodding, Morris came back to the gurney and watched as Greg cut the cast on Elton's leg open; there was a bone sticking upward out of the skin and blood gashes covered his entire leg below the knee.

"Must have injured his leg further when he fell," Greg muttered. "Somebody call Ortho right away."

The guard sighed, "If you are admitting him, I will phone the facility and let them know," he said in a tired voice as he watched the nurses remove Elton's uniform, cover his legs with a gown, and place an oxygen mask over his pale face. "A guard can be sent to the jail ward for the duration of his stay."

"Go arrange it," was all Greg could say as he examined the leg with gloved hands. "Oh man…"

Suddenly, there was a muffled scream, "Pratt, the patient's regaining consciousness!" Morris yelled as he moved towards the phone and suddenly saw Elton's eyes flutter open. "I'm calling upstairs…"

"Where am I?" Elton asked in a weak voice, his eyes wide with fear as he pushed the mask away from his mouth and tried to sit up, only to fall back in pain. "I hurt…I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

Before Greg could reply, Elton suddenly passed out and the monitors whined, "V-Tach!" a nurse yelled.

Swearing, Morris grabbed the crash cart and handed the paddles to Greg, "Charge to 200!" Greg yelled, his voice full of anxiety as he rubbed the paddles together and waited. "Clear!"

As Greg shocked Elton, the monitors continued to whine. Greg swore; would he be able to save Elton?

* * *

><p><em><strong>County General – Emergency Room<strong>_

Chaos reigned in the ER as ambulances brought in one patient after another; all of them from the concert and either drunk, high, or full of rage about the cops suddenly arriving and ending the party.

Every medical staffer had been called in to help deal with this crisis with a promised overtime pay, but many didn't come for the money; they came to help ease the load and deal with this sudden horror.

Chairs was full of minor injuries, the hallways were lined with gurneys and wheelchairs full of people who were coming off of highs and refused treatment, and every single patient room was full.

Mark found himself walking through the hallways, occasionally checking on the many minor patients while shooting looks into the exam and trauma rooms to ensure that things were running smoothly.

"Doctor Greene, we have one more rig coming in," Frank said as Mark carried a stack of charts to the desk that needed to be signed off on. "Dispatch says it's a nine year old OD who just suffered LOC."

As Mark opened his mouth to say that there was no more room, he was nearly blinded by flashing lights.

"Frank, go see if someone is available to help me with this," Mark said in an aggravated voice as he watched paramedics roll a gurney up to the door. "Why was a nine year old even AT the concert?"

As Mark pressed the door to let the paramedics in, Rachel hurried into the ER and up to the gurney with a worried look on her face, "Dad, is Lucas gonna be okay?" she asked, tears rolling freely down her face.

"Oh man," Mark said in a hushed voice as he suddenly realized that Lucas was unconscious on the gurney and he looked way too thin, frail, and unhealthy for a kid his age. "What happened?"

Rachel sniffled, "He was fine in the ambulance," she whimpered as she followed her father and the paramedics through the busy hallways as they searched for an area. "Dad, he's really, really sick."

"Go get Lucas's mother from the lounge," Mark said in a sharp voice as they finally rolled Lucas into an empty space near the elevators. "After you talk to her, go upstairs to Peds and let Doctor Kovac know."

Swallowing hard, Rachel nodded, but didn't move, "I think Lucas took Vicodin," she said in a worried voice as she watched her father examine Lucas. "Sarah had some in her backpack and it fell out."

Before Mark could reply, Lucas suddenly vomited and opened his eyes, "…Sarah dropped a bottle of stuff…," Lucas weakly murmured, his eyes wide at seeing Mark hovering over him looking worried.

"All right, we need to get his stomach pumped!" Mark yelled. "Let's take him to Trauma Two!"

As the paramedics helped Mark move the gurney, Rachel let out a sob and ran off towards the lounge.

* * *

><p><em><strong>ER Staff Lounge<strong>_

"…I honestly didn't know about the Vicodin until Sarah said it was missing from her backpack," Rachel explained in a tearful voice, her confidence faltering under Amy's stern look. "None of it was mine."

Amy was silent for a long moment; she gazed over at Erinn and Katie, both of whom had been exhausted from the long day and had fallen asleep on a couch. She then gazed down at Joe, who was in a baby carrier at her feet. An explosion of anger would only worsen the situation and cause sorrow.

Ever since she had returned from Africa, Amy had worried about what her children had been up to while she was away and this only made her worry increase; she had secretly kept a stock of urine test cups in her locker since then in case she ever needed to random drug test any of her children…or their friends.

"What I want you to do right now is go get a urine test cup from my locker," Amy said in a voice that dared Rachel to do anything but what she was asked. "Fill it and then I will personally take it to the lab for a tox-screen. If that comes back positive, I am going to order a blood draw and talk to your parents."

Rachel nodded and silently walked over to the locker that held the nameplate 'A. Kovac' on it, only to see it secured by a dark padlock. She looked back at Amy, only to find that Amy was holding up a key.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Amy walked over and swiftly opened the lock; she opened the locker revealing the door filled with 'family photos' and a stack of urine test cups in the top.

"Go use one of the cubicles in here," Amy said in a tight voice as she took a cup out and handed it to Rachel. "I will wait right here and once you are done, you will watch Erinn, Katie, and Joe for a bit."

Deeply intimidated by the look of sheer disappointment on Amy's face, Rachel took the cup and quickly moved off into the toilet cubicles area. Amy sighed and took a seat on one of the benches to wait.

There was a prolonged silence and then Rachel returned with a filled and sealed urine cup in her hand and a worried look on her face. Amy stood up, took the urine cup, and pocketed it as she walked out.

Swallowing hard, Rachel picked up Joe and walked over to the couch where Erinn and Katie slept.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room – Pediatrics Floor – Cook County General - 8 P.M.<strong> _

Something was wrong, Nathan realized as a heavy feeling of uneasiness entered his frail heart; he had been sleeping soundly when all of a sudden, visions of his family in danger had begun filling his mind.

It was as his mother and grandfather had always told him and others; he always had retained good instincts about people and situations. Something was very wrong down in the ER, but what was it?

"I need to go downstairs," Nathan mumbled sleepily; he opened his eyes and saw Luka seated in a chair against the wall reading a magazine. Nathan also saw a pair of green scrubs folded in Luka's lap.

Luka frowned and set the magazine on an empty chair, "We aren't having this discussion again," he said in a firm tone as he stood and walked over to the portable table, which was near the bed. "While you were sleeping, I talked one of the nurses into bringing you a little dinner from the hospital cafeteria."

Narrowing his eyes, Nathan peered at the portable table and saw a tray containing a bowl full of jello and a small cup of milk with a spoon on the tray. Luka smiled and moved the table closer to the bed.

"After I use the bathroom, you are going to eat," Luka said in a no-nonsense tone. "I'll be right back."

Nathan was quiet as Luka moved off into the bathroom. As the bathroom door closed, Nathan pushed the portable table away with his legs and pulled himself into a standing position, wincing as he did.

_Luka doesn't know squat. _Nathan thought as he slowly stumbled out of the room and down the hallway towards the elevator; he would go to the cafeteria and get something that would actually stay down.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hospital Cafeteria – 8:30 P.M.<strong>_

Abby placed the cell-phone in the pocket of her coat and smiled down at the baby in the carrier; she was dressed in the new clothes that Maggie had sent when she first heard of the baby from Africa.

Even though Abby had told her mother that the baby was only with her and John until DCFS could find a foster placement, Maggie had sent the carrier and a bag full of brand new baby clothes to help out.

The baby suddenly smiled at Abby, "Hey sweetie," Abby said in a gentle voice. "Do you want up?"

Without waiting for the baby to reply, Abby gently picked her up and held her, "Oh man, it's getting really hard not to give you a name," she said in a gentle voice as the baby yawned and cooed.

Abby sighed; ever since they had come back to Chicago, Carter had been well taken care of by the people at County, but even with the daily dialysis, he still tired easily and had both good days and bad.

Tonight was one of the times Carter considered bad; he had been so exhausted from the day's dialysis that he had told her to take the baby back to their home for the night. Abby had compromised; she would take the baby to the cafeteria with her to get some dinner and then come say goodnight.

Now, as Abby approached the counter with the baby, she suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in wanting something to eat. She turned and saw Nathan stagger in, dressed in nothing but a gown and clinging to an IV pole for support with his uncasted hand, which contained two IV lines.

"Nathan, are you okay?" Abby asked, giving Nathan a concerned look as he sat down on a bench.

Nathan blinked and sighed, "Luka was gonna make me eat jello," he replied in a tired voice. "I had my takedown today and I need rest, but I need to go downstairs after I get some REAL food into me."

"Maybe you should listen to Luka," Abby said in a gentle voice. "Last I checked, he was pretty smart."

Before Nathan could reply, Luka walked into the cafeteria with a nurse who was pushing an empty wheelchair. Abby quickly turned away so that she and Luka wouldn't have to look at each other.

Even though he had immediately recognized Abby, Luka kept his focus on Nathan, "If you didn't want to eat jello for supper, you could have told me instead of running off," he said in a concerned voice.

"Can we just cut the crap and go downstairs?" Nathan said tiredly. "I think something is wrong."

Luka sighed, "Lucas brought into the ER from Rogers Park and from what Jeanie told me, he's really sick," he explained as he sat down on the bench next to Nathan. "I don't know anything else."

"I want to get some clothes on and go downstairs to see how he's doing," Nathan said in a trembling voice as he tried to avoid Luka's gaze. "Lucas knows better than to go anywhere in the city alone."

Before Luka could argue, Nathan winced, "Let's compromise, okay?" Luka offered as he gestured to the wheelchair. "I will see about getting a nurse or someone to sit with you and I will check downstairs."

"Fine," Nathan replied in a faint whisper as he shakily got to his feet, shuffled over to the wheelchair, and sat down in it. "If I have to stay in bed, can I please get something decent for supper at least?"

Luka nodded, "I'm sure we can arrange something," he promised. "Let's go back to your room."

Abby silently turned back around and watched as Luka and the nurse wheeled Nathan from the cafeteria. She gazed down at the baby and suddenly sighed with relief that the tension was gone.

From his obvious ignorance of her presence, Abby knew that Luka had still not forgiven her for what had happened to Joe. He may have moved on and gotten a new family, but the tension was still there.

At least Carter was there for her, Abby thought as she moved out of the cafeteria and down the hallway towards the elevator cuddling the baby; after they said good night to him, they could go get dinner and go back to the sprawling mansion that had become their sanctuary ever since returning from Africa.

* * *

><p><em><strong>County General – Emergency Room - 8:45 P.M.<strong>_

Silence greeted Amy as she stepped off the elevator and walked into the ER with a paper in her hand that contained Rachel's drug test results. She had to stay calm for the sake of the baby's future.

As she walked down the hall, she saw Lucas in Trauma One being tended to by Mark, Haleh, and Chuny.

"Doctor Greene, how is Lucas doing?" Amy asked as she walked into the trauma room.

Mark looked at Amy, "His stomach is pumped and he's intubated while we give him IV fluids," he replied in a solemn tone, his heart going out to her in this trying time. "Peds ICU is preparing a room for him so that they can monitor his organ functions for a day or two before sending him to the Peds floor."

Amy nodded and gently stroked Lucas's hair, "We sedated Lucas before I intubated him," Mark stated, suddenly noticing the paper in her hand. "What's that you have in your hand, Amy?"

"I made Rachel take a urine drug test," Amy replied curtly, ignoring the shocked look on Mark's face.

Mark took the paper and scanned it briefly before looking up at Amy with a scowl on his face, "What gives you the right to drug test my daughter?" he asked in a stern voice. "She's just a teenager."

"Lucas laying on that gurney intubated and in serious condition gives me every right," Amy replied in a sharp voice that dared Mark to argue with her. "From what I've heard, Rachel was friends with a girl named Sarah Gates. Sarah and Rachel came by my house and Sarah dropped a bottle of Vicodin…"

Suddenly feeling horrified, as Lucas's erratic behavior was making sense, Mark sighed, "It would explain the Vicodin we found in his system," he said in a defeated voice. "Where is Rachel right now?"

"She already admitted to Sarah dropping the bottle of pills at my house," Amy replied crisply. "It's bad enough to have an ex-husband who sometimes dabbles in drugs, but now a son who's experimented—"

Mark nodded, his face suddenly full of sympathy, "Rachel is looking after Erinn, Katie, and Joe in the staff locker room and the lounge," Amy stated as she walked over to the gurney.

Biting his lip, Mark sighed, "I'm so sorry," he said in an apologetic tone. "Will you excuse me, please?"

As Mark hurried from the room, Amy gently took Lucas's IV laden hand and tucked it under the blanket that covered his gown-clad body. He looked so helpless and so pale on the gurney, hooked to multiple IV's and machines that would hopefully help his body live. Even so, the drugs could have hurt his mind.

"Oh Lucas," Amy whispered as she gently stroked his hair. "I am so sorry that I didn't teach you better. Hopefully, I'll be a better mother to the next one than I was to you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mercy Hospital – Jail Ward<strong>_

"…I don't know why I'm in this scary place…" Greg heard the child-like voice of Elton say from inside the room; he looked at his supervisor, Dr. Banfield, who was sporting an equally concerned expression.

Dr. Banfield sighed and reviewed the chart that Greg had given her, "And according to the prison guards, Mr. Douglas was lucid when he was first brought into the ER?" she asked, unsure if Dr. Pratt or Dr. Morris could have triggered this patient's sudden psychotic break. "How could this have happened? He was lucid when he first woke up from surgery that fixed his leg."

"Mr. Douglas was involved in a physically traumatic incident in Africa," Greg replied, wondering if the explosion that Elton had been involved in was coming back to haunt him. "Maybe it's PTSD that was suppressed by fear of the situation at the time."

With a sigh, Dr. Banfield handed the chart back to Greg, "Try and talk to him again and in the meantime, I'll consult a psychiatric counselor about submitting Mr. Douglas to a competency hearing. From what I understand, he's supposed to stand trial for kidnapping next month, but he may not be fit for such a thing. It could make him worse than he already seems to be."

As Dr. Banfield walked off, Greg gazed back into the room. Elton had gone back into a deep sleep. Greg sighed; at least Elton's leg was remaining safely in traction and his injuries weren't being affected by this sudden slip in his once lucid mental health.

Was it possible that Elton was faking incompetency to avoid serving time or had he really lost his mind enough to need help?

* * *

><p><em><strong>Nephrology Floor – Cook County General Hospital<strong>_

"I'm not a match, John," Abby replied in a sad voice as she gazed at her semi-conscious husband. "I'm so sorry."

Carter sighed and managed a weak nod, "It's okay," he replied weakly. "At least you cared enough to get tested."

The baby suddenly cooed, her eyes on Carter. John smiled and gently reached for the chair that held her carrier. Abby gently pushed the chair up against the bed so that Carter could be closer to the baby. He gently stroked her small fingers.

"Have you told your parents or any of your other family about this?" Abby asked worriedly. "Maybe they would match."

Carter sighed, "Tomorrow," he replied softly. "Tonight, I just want to spend time with you and the baby."

Abby nodded and she silently took a seat on the edge of the bed to watch Carter and the baby share a moment. For now, the three of them could be happy...just for a moment.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room – Pediatrics Floor – Cook County General<strong>_

Dave sighed as he watched Dr. Romano settle Daniel in a corner of the room across from where Nathan was lying quietly in bed. Luka was talking to Nathan and feeding him spoonfuls from a bowl of what looked like pudding. All seemed peaceful.

Dr. Romano was taking care of Daniel and had told Dave that it was time for him to actually relax. Dave had obediently left the room, but didn't have the strength or desire to leave the hospital unless escorted by Security. Dave was relieved that the surgery had gone as planned and silently watched as Dr. Romano struggled to hook Daniel's bed to the wall.

Suddenly, Dave saw Dr. Benton walk into the room and over to Daniel's bed; the two men exchanged a few words and then looked at him. Dave swallowed hard and turned away from the window as Dr. Benton gave him what looked like a scowl.

What Dave didn't see or know, however, was that Dr. Benton had been giving him a look of intense concern and that Dr. Romano felt the same concern. Both doctors were actually worried that Daniel's sickness had taken its toll on him.

Tears stung Dave's eyes. In his mind, he was still a loser and the reckless resident who worked at County years ago.

Letting out a sigh, Dave reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, wallet-sized book that he kept inspirational quotes, special phone numbers, and all of his important ID and insurance information in. He looked through the phone numbers and immediately found the one he was looking for; it didn't seem the right time to talk to anyone else about his feelings.

Dave quickly moved over to the nearest wall phone, picked up the receiver, and began to dial the long distance number.

"…Magdalynn?" Dave spoke into the phone as he sank on to a row of plastic chairs that was nearby. "It's Dave Malucci…"

As Magdalynn's gentle voice filtered into his ear, Dave smiled and sighed; maybe things would turn out okay…just maybe.

* * *

><p>Could I please have some reviews?<p> 


	5. Haunting Shadows of the Past

_**May**_

_**Patient Room - Chicago Lakeshore Hospital**_

"Mom, why can't I come home?" Lucas whined as Amy walked into the room where he was staying during his time at the center. "I know that drugs are bad and I won't touch them anymore."

Amy sighed and took a seat in the visitor's chair closest to the bed, "Lucas, we have already talked about this and it's better if you finish the 90-day program first," she explained gently. "You started on the drugs while Luka and I were in Africa and didn't stop when we got back with Katie. Drug addiction is a serious thing and your biological father had the same problem with drugs, even after we divorced."

"I know all this stuff already," Lucas replied in an annoyed voice as he gazed down at the sweatpants and loose t-shirt that he was wearing that day. "I don't get to wear what I want and I can't ever be alone except when I'm sleeping. The food sucks and I have to do group activities after school hours—"

Not wanting to get into a fight with Lucas, Amy stood up, "It took you a week to get off the vent and then you started having withdrawal symptoms because you were on the drugs so long," she said calmly as she picked up her purse. "Luka and I thought it best that you deal with this as soon as possible."

"I'm really better!" Lucas whined, realizing that his mother was getting ready to leave. "Don't go!"

Amy shook her head and quickly turned her back to Lucas so he wouldn't see her crying, "Lucas, I love you," she said in a firm voice. "You need to deal with this, though; you need to stay here a while."

Lucas suddenly began to cry and Amy decided it was time to leave. As Amy left the room, she could hear Lucas screaming bad words and sobbing that he hated it at the center, wanted to die, and wanted her.

"Mom?" Amy suddenly heard Nathan ask as she walked into the waiting area and saw him sitting in a chair with pamphlets about addiction in his lap; he frowned at seeing her tear-streaked face.

Amy sighed, "We should get going if you're going to make it to work on time," she said in a semi-exhausted voice as she gave Nathan a hug. "Did you do your schoolwork today already?"

"Mom, I did extra schoolwork yesterday because I'm working this afternoon," Nathan replied in a gentle, yet concerned voice. "Are you okay? You look so worn out that maybe you should just go home."

Amy scowled, "I'm supposed to be working so that Doctor Malucci can take the afternoon off to go meet with Daniel's teacher," she replied in a tired voice. "Luka worked all night last night and it's not fair to go home and wake him up because I'm tired. It's good that he's able to look after Joe, but if I ask him—"

"I don't think Luka is gonna beat you like Elton used to," Nathan said as he stood up, pocketed the pamphlets, and walked down the hallway towards the exit with his mother. "Can I drive home?"

As they stepped out into the sun, Amy nodded and took the keys out of her pocket, "You're staying on track with school, your arm is doing well, and I'm tired," she replied in a gentle voice. "Go ahead."

Nathan grinned and took the keys as they reached Luka's car, "I'll be careful," he said as he clicked the unlock button and opened the passenger door for his mother. "Maybe have a nap while I drive, Mom."

"Maybe," Amy replied softly as she got into the passenger seat and pulled the door closed.

Nathan silently walked around to the driver's side and got into the car, "Can we go by a drive-thru on the way home, Mom?" he asked as he closed the door and buckled his seatbelt. "I don't think I'll have time to grab anything to eat at the house. Doctor Weaver's really proud of me for being on time and-"

"Yes, Nathan, we can go by a drive-thru," Amy replied as she buckled her seatbelt and relaxed.

Nathan nodded and putting the key in the ignition, he started the car and pulled out of the space.

As the car drove out of the parking lot and down the street towards the more urban area of Chicago, Victor stepped out from behind the building and smiled; Elton would love to hear this new information.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dr. Romano's Office – Administration Floor – Cook County General – Chicago, Illinois<strong>_

"You do understand that I will NOT be filing criminal charges over the fiasco involving Lucas on the condition that you toe the line?" Dr. Romano snapped as he sat at his desk and glared at Ray, who was sitting in the visitor's chair. "If I hear of you fraternizing inappropriately with minors at all in the future, I will not hesitate to file criminal charges against you. Peter, do you have anything to add?"

Peter shrugged and continued to lean against the doorway, "As long as I hear that you're going easy on Doctor Malucci, I won't have any issue with Ray working in this hospital again," he said in a firm voice.

Ray didn't say anything; he was relieved that, despite almost getting arrested at the concert and his actions with Sarah, Rachel, and Lucas, County was going to let him have an easy way out of his bad life.

"The conditions are outlined on this contract that Doctor Anspaugh and I prepared last night," Dr. Romano stated as he tossed a sheaf of papers in front of Ray. "Additionally, you're prohibited from treating minors without direct supervision from an Attending. If you need to prescribe any medication, bring the orders to a nurse, resident or Attending and they will get it for you from the lockup."

Ray nodded, "Doctor Malucci has been made aware of these conditions and has agreed to submit bi-weekly reports on your level of compliance," Dr. Romano stated crossly. "You get ONE chance to do your internship in County's program and if you screw it up, you'll be out in the street, capeech?"

"Okay," Ray replied in a toneless voice as he took a pen and signed the pages of the contract.

Dr. Romano sighed and took the papers back, "Now, Doctor Malucci will not be working this afternoon because of a personal matter, but that doesn't mean you don't have to work," he said in a snappish voice. "I will find someone to supervise you today and Doctor Malucci will take over tomorrow."

"Sure," Ray replied, deeply relieved that he wasn't going to be thrown out of medical school.

Dr. Romano sighed, "Peter, escort Ray down to the ER," he said in a cross tone. "Goodbye Ray."

Unnerved that Dr. Romano wouldn't call him Dr. Barnett, Ray stood, "It's really fortunate that Lucas didn't die after being pumped full of crap at that concert," Dr. Romano snapped. "Now get out."

Ray nodded and left with Peter, ignoring the intense death glare that Dr. Romano was giving him.

Dr. Romano sighed and leaned back in his chair just as the phone rang. He swore silently and grabbed the receiver, irritated that he couldn't go one office shift without a phone call carrying bad news.

"Hello?" Dr. Romano asked in a semi-annoyed voice. "Oh, Amy; hello. Did the visit go well?"

As Amy began talking, Dr. Romano sighed; Lucas having to go to rehab had been hard on all of them, but with what Amy was saying, he figured that she had been taking the parental blame all upon herself.

* * *

><p>"It's all right, Amy," Dave said into the phone as he sat at the desk with a pile of charts in front of him. "I can get someone to cover for me until I get done at Daniel's school if it's before five. Just rest at home."<p>

As Mark came by the desk, Dave sighed, "…I know it's hard for you to see him there, but it's better to nip it in the bud now than not," he said in a worried tone. "I know that it's difficult to see the ones you love struggle with addiction and doing what you did was a lot easier than what I did for my addict…"

At those words, Mark stopped behind Dave with a look of curiosity on his face, "…I know I shouldn't focus on the past," Dave said in a nervous voice. "All right….please take care of yourself…bye."

"You should really get going if you're going to make it to Daniel's school on time for your appointment," Mark said as Dave hung up the phone. "Doctor Faith should be in soon, so you can take off."

Dave sighed and turned in his chair to face Mark, "Visiting Lucas at the rehab center stressed Amy out enough that she's decided to go home and rest instead of coming in," he explained in a tired voice. "I told her not to worry about it; that I could find someone else. I might have to come back afterwards—"

"Don't worry about it," Mark replied in a reassuring tone. "How IS Lucas doing in rehab, anyway?"

Dave shrugged, "I just helped get him into the center," he stated. "Only family is allowed to visit."

"Rachel did the right thing in calling the 9-1-1 that night," Mark said in a reassuring voice. "If she hadn't, Lucas probably would have died. How is Daniel's recovery from his appendectomy going, by the way?"

At the mention of Daniel, Dave smiled, "Daniel just started back to school today, but I got all of his schoolwork from his teachers while he was out recovering," he replied. "I'm glad Nathan could look after him while I worked, but I am so relieved that there were no complications with the surgery."

"Daniel mentioned to Ella that he has learning problems," Mark said. "Where do his difficulties lie?"

Dave sighed and stood up, "Math and he's also got some mild dyslexia," he replied as he gathered the charts and stacked them. "I've done my best to help him with the dyslexia by reading his English homework to him and by having him practice copying sentences in a workbook every day, but his grades are still not as good as his teachers would like. I'm hoping that they don't recommend another school."

"I'm sure Daniel's teacher just wants to set up tutors," Mark stated. "You shouldn't worry so much."

Dave nodded, but before he could reply, sirens could be heard, "I'll take it," he offered.

"Mark, do you have a minute?" Kerry asked as Dave hurried off towards the doors to meet the trauma.

Mark turned to see Kerry walking towards him with a disgruntled looking Ray, "Doctor Barnett is ready to work if you could tell me where Doctor Malucci is," she said in a gentle tone as she smiled at Mark. "I ran into Doctor Benton on my way back from the cafeteria and he asked me to bring Ray down."

"Doctor Malucci's meeting an incoming, but he's got to leave soon for an appointment with Daniel's teacher," Mark replied. "He'll probably leave after that and someone can take care of supervising Ray."

Kerry frowned, "Was visiting Lucas at the rehab center too stressful on Doctor Faith?" she asked.

Before Mark could reply, Dave passed by the desk with paramedics, who were rolling a gurney containing an unconscious Elton. A moment later, Dr. Pratt, Dr. Banfield, and a guard followed after him.

"Go see if Doctor Malucci needs a hand, Kerry," Mark said in a worried voice. "I need to call upstairs."

Kerry nodded and hurried to catch up with the group. To her, Dave's patient looked scarily familiar.

Mark quickly moved back to the desk where Frank now was, "Frank, call Doctor Romano," Mark said in a concerned voice. "That patient that Doctor Malucci just took back to Trauma fits the police description of the man who kidnapped Katie Romano last month and almost killed Nathan. I'm concerned—"

"Should I call the police or security?" Frank asked in a concerned voice as he reached for the phone.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Trauma Room One<em>**

"…My leg," Elton moaned, wincing as he felt something jabbed into his chest; he suddenly realized that he was in an unfamiliar place. "Where am I? Are the soldiers attacking me again?"

Instead of replying, Dave moved around to the other side and quickly put a chest tube in Elton's other lung, causing Elton to wince. Lydia looked at Dave, who was looking as if he wanted to be sick.

"Check his leg," Dave said, suddenly noticing the cast on Elton's leg. "Doctor Banfield, you said that he woke up and didn't know where he was? Did you and Doctor Pratt order a Psych consult?"

Dr. Banfield, who was lingering by the door, sighed, "Mr. Douglas got upset when the Psych intern started asking him about Africa," she explained. "During rounds this morning, Mr. Douglas suffered a grand mal seizure and vomited three times. He moaned something about County, so…"

"It's a prime facility for patient care," Dave replied even though he knew deep down that Elton just wanted to cause him stress for pure amusement. "All right, we'll start with a head CT. Lydia, call upstairs and see if we can get Mr. Douglas in right away. While we wait, we'll get some blood for some tests."

The door suddenly opened and Kerry came into the trauma room with a guard, "Doctor Malucci, if you need to leave, I can take this patient," she said in a concerned voice. "Mark said you needed to leave."

"I have a little bit of time," Dave replied tonelessly. "Can someone please get me a syringe?"

As Dave began to tie a plastic tie around Elton's arm, Elton suddenly began to convulse violently, which caused the monitor to whine, "Check his temperature!" Dave yelled, suddenly noticing the drops of sweat on Elton's forehead. "Could be a febrile seizure triggered by some sort of sepsis."

"Mr. Douglas had surgery for a leg injury three weeks ago," Dr. Banfield replied, suddenly looking at Dr. Pratt with a look of concern. "Doctor Pratt, go to the desk and call Mercy; get his chart faxed over."

Dr. Pratt nodded and hurried from the room just as Elton stopped seizing, "Give him some aspirin via IV to lower his fever," Dave said, carefully extracting his hand from Elton's loosened grip.

"Doctor Malucci, you should get going," Kerry said, suddenly recognizing the patient on the gurney to be fitting a police description. "I can handle this patient so you can be on time for your appointment."

Carefully flexing the hand that Elton had pinned, Dave nodded and carefully moved away from the gurney, "I'll try and come back after the meeting since you'll be short on staff this afternoon," Dave said as he backed towards the door. "Luka doesn't work until this evening and Amy's too tired-"

"Don't worry about it," Kerry replied in a reassuring tone. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

Dave nodded, "Did this patient come from somewhere?" Kerry asked as she approached the gurney.

"Prisoner Douglas was originally taken to Mercy after suffering physical difficulties at the Illinois Correctional Facility," the guard stated in an official tone. "After a non-violent psychotic break in the jail ward last night, Doctor Banfield and Doctor Pratt have ordered a psychiatric evaluation done here."

Dave suddenly looked annoyed, "Get him upstairs and off the board before Nathan comes to work," he said in an unusually angry tone. "Don't tell anyone that he's here or that I treated him. Understand?"

"Patients are treated with strict confidentiality and only the next shift will know," Kerry replied in a concerned tone, unnerved by Dave's behavior. "We'll get his name off the board and move him."

Dr. Pratt suddenly moved over to Dave, "I'll walk with you," he said, giving Dave a reassuring look.

As Dave and Dr. Pratt left, Kerry looked at Elton, who had fallen unconscious again, "Get him on 100% O2 via mask," she said in a commanding voice. "Doctor Banfield, if you would please help me…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Street<strong>_

With a sigh, Peter walked down the front steps of County and began walking towards the roach coach to grab something to eat before he had to go get Reese from school. Usually his sister did it, but she was off running errands and wouldn't be home until after dinner that evening with some takeout.

"…Jeanie, I am so sad that I couldn't help John," Peter suddenly heard a sad voice say. "I wanted to."

As he approached the roach coach, Peter saw Jeanie and Chase already there. Chase looked upset and Jeanie had an arm around him and a motherly look on her face. Peter frowned and slowly moved closer.

"Hey Jeanie," Peter said in a gentle voice. "Hey Chase; how are you and Jeanie doing today?"

Chase sniffled, "My kidney won't help John's," he replied sadly. "The doctors did a test on it."

Jeanie sighed, "Chase got tested and he's not a match to Carter," Jeanie explained, gazing at Peter.

"Oh man," Peter replied in an ashen voice. "So Carter finally told his family about his renal failure?"

Jeanie nodded, "Abby was already tested, but she didn't match," she replied sadly. "I visited Carter the other day and he's trying very hard not to give up, but it's hard when nothing seems to work out."

"John's mommy and daddy are visiting him today," Chase said in a child-like voice. "Doctor Dave visited John this morning before he went to work in the ER. Doctor Dave's really nice to visit him."

Peter nodded, not surprised that Dave was spending so much time visiting Carter and successfully balancing working in the ER and being a single father, "I'm just on my way to get Reese from school so he can go spend time with Jackie until I'm off at seven. Would you and Chase like to join me?"

Jeanie was quiet for a moment and then smiled, "Would you mind, Chase?" she asked, giving Chase a gentle look. "After that, maybe we can get some dinner and go for a walk in the park."

"That would be cool!" Chase said in a vibrant tone. "It'll make me feel better to go for a walk."

Jeanie patted Chase's arm, "We should go if we're going to get to Reese's school before the bell," Peter said, unable to help grinning at Chase's eagerness. "My car is parked just down the street. Come on."

Jeanie smiled as she and Chase followed Peter down the street to where his car was parked. With Peter and Chase around, she suddenly didn't feel so alone.

* * *

><p>"…Katie, stop tickling Joe," Amy heard Luka say in an amused tone as she and Nathan entered the house and took their shoes off. "I have to feed him and he's so happy that he'll spit it all up…"<p>

Amy sighed and silently moved over to the stairs, "Tell Luka that I went upstairs to bed," she said in a tired voice as she gripped the rail. "I don't feel like talking to anyone right now. I just want to rest."

Nathan nodded and watched as his mother climbed the stairs, "Luka, Mom and I are home," he said as he moved into the kitchen and saw Luka putting Joe into the highchair while Katie watched quietly.

"Where is your mother?" Luka asked as Joe giggled at seeing Nathan. "Is she all right?"

Nathan sighed, "Mom went upstairs to lie down," he replied. "Visiting Lucas wore her out a lot."

"After I settle Joe with some food, I'll take your mother some food," Luka replied in a gentle voice, immensely worried that visiting Lucas had been stressful for Amy. "Your meals are in the fridge."

Frowning, Nathan walked over to the fridge and opened it, shocked to find a large lunch bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge, "You're working four until seven, so I put some leftovers in a container that you can have for a snack and there's some leftover roast chicken in another one in there for supper," Luka said as he put some baby food in a bowl and put it on the highchair in front of Joe. "I also packed you some iron pills that you can take with the thermos of apple juice that's in your lunch bag."

"Wow, that's nice of you," Nathan replied as he took the lunch bag out of the fridge. "Mom let me drive your car back from the rehab center. We stopped at a drive-thru on the way back and I made her eat something because she looked so tired. I have to go to work now; otherwise I'd eat too…"

Luka sighed, "At least take an iron pill with some juice before you go," he replied. "You don't want to pass out behind the wheel and crash the car. Can you imagine what that would do to your mother?"

Nathan sighed and nodded as he moved over to the cupboard where his pills were. He silently opened the cupboard, took the container out, and opened it. Luka silently watched him as he tried to dry swallow it before going to the sink, putting some water in his hand, and washing it down.

"If you won't drink some juice, can you at least get Katie her lunch for me?" Luka asked in a half-amused, half-annoyed tone at Nathan's stubbornness. "I'll go upstairs and check on your mother."

Nathan nodded and quickly walked back to the fridge, "Nathan talks in his sleep," Katie suddenly spoke up as Luka walked towards the doorway. "He moans about the bad man coming to kill him."

"Katie," Nathan said, suddenly feeling nervous that Luka would be upset with him for keeping secrets.

Luka frowned, "Is that true, Nathan?" he asked, suddenly concerned for Nathan's mental health.

"It's nothing," Nathan replied a little too quickly. "I should really get going to work."

Luka was silent for a moment and then held out his hand, "Give me the keys," he said in a concerned tone, ignoring Nathan's surprised look. "I can drive you to work, drop you off, and then bring Katie and Joe back home. It's not that I don't trust you with my car, but these nightmares are concerning…"

"I know," Nathan replied softly as he handed the keys to Luka. "I'm going to ask Doctor Weaver if she can arrange some counseling for me during the summer. I don't want to bother Doctor Malucci…"

Nathan suddenly grabbed the side of the fridge, "I skipped lunch," he said in a tired voice. "I wanted to wait until after we visited Lucas at the rehab, but then I got called to work…"

"Sit down," Luka said as he gently took Nathan by the shoulders and steered him over to an empty chair at the kitchen table. "You're not going to work today. I'll call in and say that you're not feeling well."

Nathan sighed and slowly sat, "Lucas whining about wanting to leave rehab was stressful and by the time we left, I didn't feel like eating," he said in a tired voice. "I heard him whining to Mom about it."

"Just take it easy today," Luka replied gently as he walked over to the phone mounted on the wall.

As Luka phoned the ER, Nathan sighed and smiled when Katie offered him the juice she had been drinking, "You need it more," she said in a gentle voice. "Joe and I want you to drink it."

"Thanks Katie," Nathan replied as he took the glass and took a few sips; he also smiled at Katie and Joe, vaguely aware that Luka was watching them while talking on the phone. "It tastes really good."

Since Luka was on the phone, Katie merely smiled and was unaware that Nathan's instincts were that something was wrong and that was what had triggered an anemic spell; something was very wrong.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hospital Atrium - Cook County General<strong>_

"I don't know why Elton's here, but it makes me feel very uneasy," Dave said as he threw the muffin wrapper from the muffin that Greg had bought him during their walk through the cafeteria.

Greg nodded, "Doctor Banfield thinks I'm crazy, but I know what the guy was like in Africa," he replied in a concerned voice. "He seemed more upset that he didn't get to play with that little girl who ran off more than about the fact she was missing. I agree that he might have been faking the symptoms just to get himself moved to a better patient care facility, but there isn't any way to prove it, unfortunately."

"Elton Douglas is smart enough to fool the courts into giving him a competency hearing," Dave replied in a toneless voice, worried what impact such a thing would have on Amy and her family if it happened.

For a moment, Greg was silent and then sighed, "Doctor Banfield was the one who put the request into the courts for a competency hearing," he explained. "She says that since both Kem and I had interactions with Elton in Africa, we'll both have to testify at that hearing. I have to phone Kem and tell her that she'll have to leave Dr. Rogers in charge of the clinic so she can come to Chicago for a while."

"You know, the last time Doctor Rogers and I talked is when Daniel was recovering from appendicitis at County," Dave said, concerned that he had been dumped and didn't know it. "I miss her quite a bit."

Greg grinned, "I was on the phone with Kem last week and she mentioned that Doctor Rogers had gone back to Matenda to try and build up some sort of care facility," he replied. "She mentioned that Doctor Rogers had a couple of things for you and that she missed you very, very much."

Dave blushed, but before he could comment, he caught sight of the digital clock over the hospital entrance; it read 15:00 and that made him realize that he needed to head to Daniel's school.

"Greg, I have to run to Daniel's school for an appointment with his teacher," Dave said in an apologetic voice as he stood up. "Could you do me a favor and let me know if Elton actually gets a competency hearing so that I can be the one to tell Amy and her family? I'd rather they hear the news from me."

Greg nodded and sighed, "I'll keep you posted on that," he replied. "You shouldn't have to do this."

"After I was stabbed in Grenada, Doctor Romano said the same thing," Dave stated in a hollow voice as he gave his friend a sober look. "It's my instinct, though; I always have to care for those who I see as my family no matter what it does to me. Doctor Romano and Amy are very much like family to me."

Although he wasn't sure about why Dave referred to Dr. Romano, Greg nodded, "Dave, don't stress over it until it's certain that Elton will have a hearing. He's going to be evaluated by doctors here, I hope."

"I'm sure Doctor Weaver will see to it," Dave replied tonelessly. "Anyway, I should get going."

Greg nodded, "Take care, man," he replied, concerned by Dave's tired expression. "Bye."

With a sigh, Dave walked out of the hospital in silence. Greg swallowed hard and moved back through the hallway towards the ER, determined to see if he could be of help with the Elton Douglas situation.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Exam Room One - Emergency Room<strong>_

"Doctor Weaver, you wanted some help with a patient?" Ray asked as he entered the room and immediately recognized the man who attacked him at the clinic last winter. "Woah."

Kerry nodded, relieved that Elton was now asleep to ignore his pain, "Since Doctor Malucci is off until tomorrow, I'll be supervising you," she said as she watched Lydia check Elton's vitals. "Doctor Banfield and Doctor Pratt brought him over from Mercy's jail ward due to worsening symptoms."

"Why is he in restraints?" Ray asked as he approached the bed. "Does Doctor Malucci know he's here?"

Again, Kerry nodded and sighed, "Doctor Meyers or Dr. DeRaad should be coming down from Psych at any time to conduct a full psychiatric evaluation on Mr. Douglas," she replied. "If things get slow or you have no supervision, just pitch in at the desk. Frank's here, but Nathan's stepfather called in just a few minutes ago and Nathan's not feeling well enough to come in today. Thank goodness for that."

"What do you want me to do?" Ray asked, wary of being left alone with this patient for too long.

Kerry bit her lip, but before she could reply, the door opened and Dr. DeRaad came into the room with a stack of papers on a clipboard and Dr. Banfield at his heels. Dr. DeRaad frowned at the sleeping Elton.

"Mr. Douglas, wake up," Kerry said in a gentle voice. "Doctor DeRaad from Psychiatry is here."

Elton slowly opened his eyes, "I'm not in Africa, am I?" he asked in a quiet, child-like tone.

"No, you're at County General ER," Dr. DeRaad replied. "I'm Doctor DeRaad, head of Psychiatry."

Elton sighed, "I see," he replied softly. "I must have gotten really sick at the prison."

"You were at Mercy first, but you got bad enough to be brought here," Dr. Banfield suddenly spoke up, unnerved that Elton couldn't remember his time at Mercy. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Elton thought for a moment, "I was in the prison yard and I fainted," he said in a faint voice, suddenly wincing. "My leg and my stomach hurt a lot and I feel like I'm going to be really, really sick."

"I'll give you some medicine in a moment, but can you answer some questions for Doctor DeRaad first, please?" Kerry asked in a gentle voice, unsure if Elton was serious or not. "Doctor DeRaad."

Dr. Banfield sighed, "I'll wait in the hall," she said in an abrupt tone. "Doctor Weaver, will you and-?"

"Doctor Barnett, ma'am," Ray replied politely, aware that he was on thin ice. "We can take care of him."

Dr. Banfield nodded and briskly walked out of the room, "If you'll stand back and observe, I'll begin the assessment," Dr. DeRaad said, giving Dr. Weaver and Ray a stern look before turning back to Elton.

Dr. Weaver nodded and pulled Ray to the far end of the room as Dr. DeRaad began to talk to Elton.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room - Nephrology Floor<strong>_

"John, you need to wake up,"

John opened his eyes and saw that Abby was standing there with the baby in her arms and a worried expression on her face. He sighed and promptly coughed, grateful that he was on constant dialysis.

"What time is it?" John asked in a groggy voice. "Did I miss the visit from my parents?"

Abby shook her head and sat down on the edge of the bed, "No, you didn't," she replied gently as she released the baby so she could crawl to John. "Your father phoned your cell and said that he'll drop by in an hour or so, but I haven't heard from your mother. I woke you to see how you're feeling."

"Tired," John replied softly, managing a small smile as the baby reached towards him with a hand.

Abby nodded and gently touched her husband's hand, "Barbara didn't match," John whispered in a sorrowful tone. "Maybe one of my parents will, if they end up wanting to get tested."

"I'm sure your parents are concerned," Abby replied gently. "Why else would they come to visit?"

John sighed, "I don't know," he said in a weak voice. "Abby, if you want to back out of this marriage—"

"Don't even go there, John," Abby replied in a firm tone. "I will never leave you."

Smiling, John coughed, "I don't know how much longer I can stay awake, Abby," he replied. "I know I have to wake up for dinner, but sleeping helps me not to think about how bad things are going."

"Even though UNOS hasn't found anything, someone will," Abby replied, trying her best to be optimistic for John's sake even though she knew that the baby would soon be given a foster placement and not be with them anymore. "Until then, let's try and keep a positive attitude and lean on each other, okay?"

John nodded and yawned, "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Why don't you take the baby for a little walk?"

"I love you," Abby whispered as she picked the baby up from the bed. "Just relax and sleep."

John smiled sadly and closed his eyes, "I love you too," he whispered, his voice fading.

As John slept, Abby shifted the baby to her shoulder and gazed at John for a moment before silently leaving her husband to rest. A quick glance at a nearby clock told her she had time for a good walk before either of John's parents were due to arrive; it was a much needed time to relax.

* * *

><p><em><strong>North Winds Elementary School<strong>_

"You're sure about this?" Dave asked as he gazed at Daniel's most recent progress report; it was filled with low grades and comments about obvious learning difficulties. "He really needs another school?"

Mrs. Murchison, who had been Daniel's teacher since January, nodded and gave Dave a sympathetic look as she handed him a colorful brochure, "There's a school in the Loop for kids with all sorts of barriers that prevent them from successfully learning in mainstream educational environments," she explained in a gentle voice. "The school holds special sessions during the summer where parents can be involved in the tutoring of their children. I can phone the school and arrange an interview if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Dave replied, even though he was deeply concerned about how he was going to pay the high tuition with his already stretched salary. "What about in the fall?"

Mrs. Murchison smiled, "The tuition would cover Daniel's schooling for the duration of the next school year and he'd have access to the most up-to-date learning materials," she explained. "In the fall, Daniel will be placed in a class according to how he's progressed during the summer. This is the best for him."

"Then I'll do whatever I can for Daniel," Dave replied, knowing that if he didn't do everything he could for Daniel, it would have negative consequences in the future. "When can you set up an interview?"

Giving Dave a gentle look, Mrs. Murchison made some notes on a paper that was on her desk, "I'll call the center and arrange one for as soon as possible," she said. "Then I'll send a letter home with Daniel."

"Okay," Dave replied, immediately thinking that he needed to put a request in for extra shifts at work.

Mrs. Murchison quickly stood up, "Daniel's in the resource room getting a jump start on his homework," she said, smiling as Dave quickly got to his feet and pocketed the brochure. "Thank you for your time."

Dave nodded and quietly left, as he knew that he needed to get Daniel and get back to work to see if he was needed to cover any shortages. It wasn't ideal, but it kept them from starving and homelessness.

Once Dave left the classroom, it didn't take him long to find the resource room; he lingered in the open door and watched Daniel work on schoolwork with the help of a patient looking educational aide.

"Doctor Malucci?"

Dave turned and saw Adele wheeling herself down the hallway towards him with a stack of folders on her lap, "Adele, I'm just waiting for Daniel to finish some work before I take him home from school," he said, nervous about if Adele was here about Daniel. "What brings you to North Winds Elementary?"

"I make rounds to schools to ensure that educational needs of all students are being met," Adele replied in a reassuring tone, as if trying to tell him he wasn't in trouble. "It's part of a new mandate that DCFS has had in place since the beginning of school. We want to make sure that all kids are being cared for."

Dave nodded, relieved that he wasn't under the microscope again, "Um, speaking of kids being cared for, have you found a placement for the baby in the care of John and Abby yet?" he asked softly.

"No other foster placements are available right now," Adele replied solemnly. "It's a shame…"

Swallowing hard, Dave sighed, "Adele, since the baby's been with John and Abby for the last couple of months, why can't DCFS just clear them to adopt her?" he asked, knowing that being able to adopt a baby after not being able to bear children on their own would mean a lot to both Abby and John.

"Speaking of Abby, where is she today?" Adele asked, not being able to help but be concerned.

Dave smiled, "Ever since they got back from Africa, Abby has spent a great deal of time with the baby keeping John company at County," he replied. "John's pretty sick, but having Abby and the baby to keep him company helps him to get through the days. She does take time for herself and the baby, however."

"From your observations, Doctor Malucci, is Abby doing well with the baby?" Adele asked in a gentle, yet very concerned tone. "As you may or may not be aware, DCFS is aware of her incident with Joe over a year ago and if she were to pursue adoption, there would have to be an agreement drawn up…"

Dave sighed, "Look, I'm not a social worker, but I do know that both Abby and John care about that baby very much," he said in a tired, grave tone. "When we were in Africa, Abby did everything she could to protect the baby and take care of her. I can't think of better parents for that baby than John and Abby."

"All right, you've made some good points," Adele replied, knowing that Dave wasn't lying. "I can't promise anything, but I will do my best to advocate John and Abby's case for adopting the baby."

Dave smiled, but before he could reply, Daniel came out of the resource room, "Hi Dad," Daniel said, a smile on his face as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "I had some trouble in math class."

"It's okay," Dave replied gently, smiling at Adele as she wheeled away. "Before we head home, we need to go by the Jumbo Mart and by the hospital to make sure that I don't need to work tonight, okay?"

Daniel nodded and smiled as he followed his father down the hallway towards the exit, unaware that Adele was watching them with a smile. She was also worried about letting him know about the hearing where he and Nathan would have to testify against Elton Douglas to keep him from being released since Katie was too young to testify.

* * *

><p>Nearly half an hour later, Jack Carter stepped out of his limousine, walked through the ambulance bay, and into the ER. Through the window, he saw a clerk at the desk, on the phone while three nurses sat at another part of the desk, talking with male and female doctors. Noisy people filled the waiting area.<p>

Unnerved by the fact that windows and a door separated the ER from the outside world, Jack moved to the window where a frazzled looking nurse sat behind a small desk with paperwork in front of her.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Nephrology," Jack said in a polite voice. "My son is a patient up there."

Sam looked surprised, but retained her composure, "This is the entrance to the ER, sir," she replied gently, turning to look for someone who could show Jack the right way to the elevators.

"Sam, I can take him up to Nephrology," Dave suddenly said as he entered the ER with Daniel at his side and a bag full of easy to prepare food in his hands. "I'm going up to see Carter and Abby anyway."

Sam nodded and looked to Jack, "I'll leave you in the capable hands of Doctor Malucci," she said in a gentle voice as she suddenly noticed Alex come in via the ambulance bay carrying a backpack. "Alex!"

"Hi Mom, hi Doctor Dave," Alex said as he approached the door and was let in by Alex.

Dave smiled, "Sam, can I just take our visitor through the ER to the elevators?" he asked.

"I'm Jack Carter," Jack replied in a polite tone, giving Dave a curious look. "You're Doctor Malucci?"

Dave nodded, "Yes, I'm Doctor Dave Malucci and this is my son, Daniel," he explained in a polite voice as he put an arm around Daniel. "Anyway, let's go upstairs to Nephrology through the ER, okay?"

Jack nodded and as he followed Dave and Daniel into the ER, he looked almost as if he were surprised to see Dave working at Cook County of all places. He had never expected to see Dave ever again, actually.

* * *

><p>Feeling refreshed from the nap she had taken, Amy made her way downstairs with her laptop under her arm. She had just been notified via email that Elton was being held in the County jail ward pending a full psychiatric evaluation to determine his competency for trial. All she had to do now was tell her family.<p>

"…Katie, stop pestering your brother," she suddenly heard Luka say in a gentle voice. "Erinn, why don't you take Katie upstairs and play with her so that Nathan can rest? You can take Joe upstairs with you."

A moment later, Amy saw Erinn and Katie come into the foyer with Joe, who was gurgling happily in Erinn's arms, "Hi Erinn, how was school?" Amy asked, gently hugging both of her daughters.

"School was okay," Erinn replied quietly. "Alex Taggart wants to be friends with me and Daniel."

Amy smiled, "Well, that's good," she replied, relieved that Erinn had made a new friend. "Katie, did you do the phonics work and the writing that I left out for you this morning? Erinn, do you have homework?"

"No, I don't have homework," Erinn replied happily. "Luka said that Katie and I could go upstairs with Joe so that Nathan can sleep on the couch without being bothered. Nathan's not feeling well today."

Frowning, Amy moved into the living room and saw Luka standing over Nathan, who was asleep on the couch with a pillow under his head and a blanket covering his body. There was a half-drunk glass of apple juice on the coffee table and an empty plate. Amy silently set the laptop on the lamp table.

"What's the matter with Nathan?" Amy asked as she approached the couch. "Erinn said he was sick."

Luka sighed, "His iron was really little low because he skipped lunch, so I made him eat a hamburger and drink some apple juice after getting him off work today," he replied gently as he moved around the couch to embrace Amy. "It was if Nathan could sense something was wrong and it made him sick."

"Well, Nathan's always had good instincts," Amy replied as she gently pulled Luka away from the couch so Nathan could rest. "Elton was admitted to the jail ward at County so he can have a psychiatric evaluation that will determine whether or not he's competent for trial. I had just woken up when I got an email about it from Doctor Weaver. She felt it important to tell me before I found out at work."

Luka nodded, "Whatever happens, Amy, I will be here for you and all the kids," he promised, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Hopefully, the evaluation will show that Elton is too dangerous for release."

Even though she knew that Elton was very capable of faking his way through a psychiatric evaluation to get a release, Amy nodded and managed a smile. She had to be strong for her family and for Dave, as Dave had suffered at Elton's hands in a way that she couldn't understand; Elton had killed Dave's wife and left him with lifelong scars.

* * *

><p>The walk to the elevators had been done in peace, as had the elevator ride up to Nephrology. Jack had not known what to say to Dave and Dave had been too nervous of saying something inappropriate to someone he didn't know. Fortunately, Daniel had asked Jack questions and Jack had responded kindly.<p>

As the elevator doors slid open, Dave and Jack could see Abby standing out in the hallway, just outside the room where Carter was staying. The baby was in her arms and Dave could see Abby looked tired.

"Abby, why aren't you with John?" Jack asked as he hurried over to where she was standing.

Concerned that Jack might stress Abby out, Dave quickly hurried to them, "John's just very weak and is having trouble keeping things down," she replied in a tired voice as she gently rocked the baby. "I wanted to stay, but John said that I should take the baby back to the mansion and not to worry."

"I have the limo and it can take you and the baby back to the mansion," Jack stated in a gentle voice.

Abby nodded, but said nothing, "Abby, after I got Daniel from school, we went by the Jumbo Mart and picked up a few groceries for you and John," Dave spoke up, offering the bag for her to take.

"Oh Dave, that's so nice of you," Abby replied in a grateful voice, smiling as she shifted the baby to her shoulder and took the grocery bag to look inside of it. "Mr. Carter, a ride back home would be nice."

Jack nodded, "While I'm here, I was wondering where I can make an appointment to get tested to be a kidney donor for John?" he asked in a gentle voice. "I want to do what I can to help my son."

"I can show you where to go," Abby offered gently. "We can check on it on our way out."

For a moment, Jack was silent and glanced at Dave, as if he were memorizing what he looked like, "I'll just leave my name at the nurse's desk and they can call me about it," Jack said in a tired voice. "If you don't mind, Abby, I have a stop to make before I tell the limo to go to the mansion."

"That's fine," Abby replied, relieved to have a break from stressing. "I can feed her in the limo."

Dave sighed, "Well, if you're both going home, I should probably take Daniel home too," he said, knowing that Daniel needed dinner and time to do his homework. "See you both later."

"Nice meeting you, Doctor Malucci," Jack said politely as Dave turned away to leave with Daniel.

As Dave and Daniel walked back towards the elevator, Jack sighed and gazed through the window; he could see John sound asleep in bed hooked to IV's, a heart monitor, and a dialysis machine.

Past actions had destroyed everything, but with the pieces there, maybe the future could be salvaged.

* * *

><p>Nearly half an hour later, Jack arrived at the Menage Hotel, one of the most prestigious hotels just outside of the Loop. It took only a brief visit to the concierge desk to find the hotel room that he was looking for.<p>

Now, as he lingered in the hallway, Jack swallowed his anger before knocking on the polished room door. For a moment, there was silence and then the door opened, revealing a sleepy looking Eleanor.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" Eleanor asked in a hushed voice. "I was just preparing to have a bath before I go to dinner at the hotel restaurant. I'm thinking of visiting John at the hospital tomorrow."

Letting out a deep sigh, Jack fought hard to stay calm, "I stopped by County to visit John and I wound up going through the ER entrance by mistake," he said in an abrupt tone. "I ended up being taken through the ER and up to Nephrology by a doctor named Dave Malucci. I thought Dave died long ago, Eleanor."

For several moments, Eleanor was silent and then she started to cry, "I HAD to lie to you, Jack!" she said in an anguished tone as she gripped the door for support. "It would have never worked to deal with it."

"It was a human life, Eleanor!" Jack shouted, unable to keep calm any longer. "You were selfish!"

Eleanor sniffled, "After Bobby, I couldn't deal with it," she replied sadly. "I had to do what I did."

"You had better tell Barbara about this," Jack stated, his temper fading. "She's been hurting for years."

Swallowing hard, Eleanor nodded, "I can't tell John right now," she spoke softly. "It would kill him."

"You're right about that," Jack replied snappishly. "John's in very bad shape right now."

Eleanor was silent for a moment and then sighed, "I need to figure out some way to see Dave without telling him who I am," she said, quickly composing herself. "I want to see what he's become."

"Figure it out," Jack replied abruptly as he turned to leave. "Dave works at County ER if that helps."

As Jack walked back to the elevator so that he could go downstairs and rejoin Abby and the baby in the safety of the limo, Eleanor closed herself in her hotel room. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.

Her selfishness years ago had ruined her family, but maybe there would be a way to make things right now. After she composed herself enough, Eleanor knew that she had to do something to deal with it.


	6. Confusion and Violence Intertwined

"Eleanor Carter, brief LOC and now complaining of dizziness," Tony spoke, immediately earning the attention of Dave, who was working on a salary request at the desk with Dr. Romano's help.

Dave looked at Dr. Romano, "I know your time down here is limited, but I promised Doctor Weaver that I'd cover patients while she was upstairs visiting Carter," he said in an apologetic voice. "Doctor Kovac and Amy are helping Nathan with his court thing today. Doctor Greene's taking a nap in the lounge—"

"Dave, it's all right," Dr. Romano replied as he gathered the papers. "I'll keep these up in my office."

Dave nodded and hurried over to the gurney where Tony and Shep waited with Eleanor, "Hello ma'am, I'm Doctor Malucci," Dave said, smiling at Eleanor as he grabbed the chart off the gurney. "Exam One."

"I'm so embarrassed," Eleanor said as the paramedics and Dave rolled her into Exam One. "I was relaxing in the hotel hot tub and when I got out, I must have passed out. The next thing I know, a hotel employee is asking me how I'm feeling and telling me that the paramedics are coming to the hotel."

As Shep and Tony moved a gurney and slid Eleanor's into the empty spot, Dave smiled, "You probably spent a little too long in the hot tub," he said in a reassuring voice. "Tony, can you get Haleh for me?"

"That's not his job," Shep protested in an annoyed voice. "He's a paramedic; you're a doctor."

Dave sighed, "Look, I appreciate your concern, but I have to stay with the patient since there's currently no nurse to help me," he replied in a firm tone. "If a nurse comes to help, then you guys can leave."

"Hurry up," Shep snapped as Tony quickly left the room. "I swear; that Tony's had his head in the clouds ever since he sent his daughter to live with her grandparents in the country. He's always running slow."

Eleanor gave Dave a compassionate look, "Doctor Malucci, how long have you been working in this ER?" she asked in a soft voice as she tried to compose herself. "I suppose you've been here a while?"

"I did some of my residency here before I was fired," Dave replied, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with this patient's curiosity. "I was rehired as an Attending back in January and I'm doing my best."

Before Eleanor could reply, Tony and Haleh came into Exam One with a supply cart, "Hi Haleh," Dave said in a kind voice as they approached the bed. "Could you please help me with Mrs. Carter?"

"Carter?" Haleh asked, gazing at Eleanor. "Is this Doctor Carter's mother?"

Eleanor gasped, "Please, don't tell John I'm here," she said in a nervous voice. "He'll worry."

"Not to worry, Mrs. Carter," Dave replied gently. "You're going to be just fine in our care."

As Haleh began to unpack the supply cart, Shep stalked out of the room and Tony silently followed.

* * *

><p>"This jail ward is horrific, Greg," Kem said in a shocked voice as she followed her husband into the County General Hospital jail ward security area where a guard waited. "Is this place ever cleaned?"<p>

Greg sighed and turned to his wife, "I'm sorry that Doctor Banfield dragged you out of your clinic in Africa at a moment's notice, but you helped Elton the most in Africa," he said in a somber voice. "I think Elton's faking this psychotic break just to get his sentence reduced, but I'm not the boss."

"Doctor Rogers would have been a better choice," Kem replied. "You know I dislike Chicago, Greg."

Nodding, Greg gently stroked Kem's face, "At least you can stay for a few days," he replied in a seductive voice. "I have to get back to Mercy, but what do you say we go out for dinner and alone time tonight?"

"That sounds lovely," Kem replied, touching her husband's hand. "I'll meet you downstairs at seven."

Greg gently kissed her and stepped away, "Good luck with your patient," he said. "I love you, Kem."

"I love you too, Greg," Kem replied before turning away. She smiled at the guard as he opened the door.

Kem silently made her way into the ward and over to the gurney where Elton lay asleep in a gown and with his wrists and ankles in restraints, "Mr. Douglas?" she asked in a gentle voice. "It's Doctor Kem."

"Doctor Kem?" Elton replied groggily as he opened his eyes. "You came from Africa just for me?"

Having been told about Elton's child-like condition by Dr. Banfield, Kem nodded, "Yes," she replied in a soothing voice. "I came to see how I could help you to feel better. I heard you weren't feeling well."

"I'm scared," Elton replied in a child-like voice. "My leg hurts and I don't know why I'm tied to this bed."

Kem sighed, as she didn't know why Dr. Banfield had insisted on tying Elton to a gurney before shipping him to the disgusting jail ward that County General had. She, therefore, gently touched his hand.

"I'm so cold," Elton whispered, suddenly feeling relaxed by Kem touching his hand. "Please help me."

Feeling utterly disgusted over Elton's care, Kem released Elton's hand and moved over to the phone. She was determined to see if anyone could help her with Elton.

* * *

><p>"Nathan Romano-Kovac?"<p>

Nathan looked up from the floor and saw a well-dressed legal secretary standing in front of the bench where he had been sitting with his mother and Luka for the last hour, "Yes ma'am?" he asked softly.

"Judge Martin is ready to see you now," the legal secretary said. "She's waiting in her chambers."

Nodding, Nathan got to his feet, "Honey, do you want Luka and I to go with you?" Amy asked as she shifted Joe to her shoulder so he wouldn't accidentally kick the baby. "We can come if you want."

"No, I'll be fine," Nathan replied, not wanting his mother or Luka to rehear the details of the attack.

Luka sighed and gently took Joe from Amy's arms, "We'll wait for you," he said in a reassuring voice.

Swallowing hard, Nathan silently followed the legal secretary into the judge's office. Luka shifted Joe to his shoulder and looked at Amy. She looked at Luka and, sighing deeply, leaned against his shoulder.

"I can't believe Elton is pulling this crap," Amy said in a tired voice. "He's lucid enough for trial and he knows that he'll spend the rest of his life in prison, so he pretends to have PTSD to postpone things."

Joe gurgled and eased his way down Luka's chest, "Luka, Kerry phoned me last night and asked if Nathan could do a shift this afternoon because Jerry wound up with food poisoning," Amy continued in the same tired voice. "After we're done here, we need to take Nathan to County before we go home."

"Is he going to be up to working after this?" Luka asked as he gently bounced Joe on his knee.

Amy shrugged, "I asked Nathan and he said he would be," she replied. "He's a stubborn kid."

"Maybe Nathan would benefit from talking to someone," Luka commented. "I heard him outside at three-thirty this morning, beating that bag and crying. That kind of behavior isn't really healthy."

Biting her lip, Amy sat up straight, "If Nathan wants to talk to someone, he usually talks to Dave," she replied in a calm voice. "There are some things that only Dave can help Nathan work through."

"Who helped you?" Luka asked softly, gazing at his wife. "Who helped you come out of your shell?"

Amy smiled, "Time and the privilege of helping people," she replied softly. "Meeting you and Joe certainly helped me to come out of my shell and to help my children to feel safe again. Dave is like an uncle to them all, but he is also very guarded. Anyway, Luka, I am glad to have met and married you."

Luka smiled, but before he could reply, the door to the judge's office opened and Nathan walked out looking tired but determined. Amy quickly stood up and walked over to her eldest son.

"Hopefully it helped," Nathan said in a toneless voice as the door closed. "Can we get out of here?"

Amy nodded and Luka stood up, placing Joe on his shoulder, "Take it easy at work today," she said as they made their way down the hallway towards the lobby. "We'll drop you off at County, all right?"

"You don't have to work today if you don't feel up to it," Luka commented. "I can talk to Kerry."

Nathan shook his head, "I'd rather be working than thinking about this," he replied softly.

Luka nodded and, as he didn't want to upset Nathan, he silently followed them towards the exit.

* * *

><p>Kerry smiled sadly as Carter yawned, "Sorry, Doctor Weaver," he said in a quiet, apologetic voice.<p>

"It's all right, John," Kerry replied as she rose from the chair she had placed beside the bed. "I should really be getting back down to the ER to check on things. Where are Abby and the baby, by the way?"

Carter sighed, "My dad will probably bring them by later," he replied faintly. "He was concerned that Abby was spending too many restless hours here, so he's having her relax at the mansion with the baby while he attends to business elsewhere in Chicago. When he's done, he'll probably bring them by."

"Has there been any luck with UNOS yet?" Kerry asked as she gently touched her friend's hand.

Carter shook his head, trying not to cry, "I'm trying to put a positive spin on things for the sake of Abby and the baby," he replied in a pained voice as he suddenly started to shiver. "It's really cold in here."

Kerry sighed and quickly fixed the blanket so that it was covering his chest, "There," she said in a gentle voice, utterly horrified at her friend's slowly deteriorating condition. "You should save your strength."

Knowing that Kerry was right, Carter nodded and silently closed his eyes to rest. Kerry bit her lip, turned away from Carter's sleeping form and the machines he was attached to, and silently left the room.

The walk to the elevator gave Kerry a chance to think of what she could do for Carter, Abby, and the little baby to help them through this tough experience. Her thoughts were quickly laid to rest, however, as the elevator doors slid open and a frustrated looking Kem was standing alone in the elevator.

"Oh, Doctor Weaver, hello," Kem said in an anxious voice. "I was wondering if you could help me."

Kerry nodded even though she was surprised to see Kem there, "I was summoned to Chicago to assist Mr. Douglas with his psychological difficulties and the jail ward is nothing short of barbaric," Kem said in a distraught voice. "He scared to death and he hasn't even got a blanket to make him feel secure."

"Why don't I come up with you to see if I can do anything to help?" Kerry suggested in a concerned tone. She came on to the elevator and gave Kem a reassuring smile to calm her about the situation.

* * *

><p>Not at all comforted by the blanket now covering her legs, Eleanor watched as Dave wrote some orders on the chart before handing it to Haleh, "Can you please put a rush on these results, Haleh?" he asked in a soft, yet clear voice. "I don't want Carter's mother waiting around here any longer than necessary."<p>

"Of course, Doctor Malucci," Haleh said as she put the vials of blood in her pocket and took the chart from the room to drop the vials of blood at the lab. Eleanor fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Dave smiled and studied the IV of fluids that he had administered to help his patient feel better, "How are you feeling after some fluids, Mrs. Carter?" he asked in a cheerful voice. "Maybe you'd also consent to be hooked to a monitor now just to make sure that everything's all right? The tests should take—"

"I've got no right to complain about how I'm feeling," Eleanor replied in a despondent voice. "My only son; my beautiful John; is dying up in Nephrology from kidney failure. From what I've heard, he's got a beautiful wife and a foster daughter who keep him from just giving up and letting himself die."

Swallowing hard, Dave looked at the floor with no idea what to say to quell some of the bitterness about Carter's condition that Mrs. Carter was now expressing, "If John doesn't complain about all the suffering he goes through, why should I complain about a little dizziness?" Eleanor continued with a sigh. "By the way, what are you and the rest of this very busy emergency room doing to help my suffering son?"

"We visit when we can," Dave replied in a confused voice as he gazed up at her. "I took food to Abby and the baby once when I visited. The ER gets pretty busy, so sometimes we don't have time to visit."

Eleanor sighed impatiently, "This ER is too busy to hold a blood drive to see if there aren't any potential donors among the so called friends John has?" she snapped. "Giving blood isn't that hard, is it?"

Suddenly feeling guilty that he hadn't done anything like that to try and help Carter, Dave gripped the gurney rail, "Would you excuse me for a minute, Mrs. Carter?" he asked in a toneless voice. "I forgot to add an order to the chart and I need to catch up to Haleh before she gets to the lab. I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Eleanor replied in a softer voice. "I haven't got anything better to do today."

Nodding, Dave silently hurried from the room, silently praying that he wouldn't be gone too long.

* * *

><p>The guard silently let Victor, who was wearing the proper uniform, into Elton's room to allegedly clean up the vomit that Elton had decorated the floor with earlier in the day.<p>

However, Victor had no intention of cleaning any disgusting mess up; he was there to talk to Elton about what their plans now were.

"Do the docs not give you any blankets in this shoebox?" Victor asked, his voice a whisper as he approached Elton's bed and pretended to mop. Elton opened his eyes and glared at Victor.

Victor, however, ignored the glare, "Did you know that your kid is in a drug rehab?" he asked in a low voice as he continued pretending to mop. "Your ex-wife and Doc Malucci sent him there after the kid overdosed on pain pills, needle drugs, and took a shot of booze with them. It was horrific to see."

"I figured that Nathan would end up doing drugs after what I put him through," Elton replied in a quiet, amused voice as he lay there, ignoring his shivering body. "That kid always was too weak to function."

Victor's eyes widened, "I overheard your ex-wife talking to Nathan as they were leaving the drug rehab and Lucas is the one in the rehab," he replied softly. "Some girls got him into trouble at a concert."

"Lucas?" Elton asked, deeply surprised that his youngest son had suddenly chosen such a path.

Before Victor could reply, a buzzer went off and the door slid open. Victor turned away from Elton and quickly mopped the floor, hiding his face from Kerry and Kem as they approached the bed. Kem had a blanket in her arms and Kerry was holding a small book in her hands, having gotten it at Kem's request.

"Mr. Douglas, I'm Doctor Weaver," Kerry said in a gentle tone. "I spoke with the nursing staff and, after talking to the prison, they agreed to provide you with a few basic things to help you be more at ease."

Elton didn't respond and Kem moved closer to the gurney. She carefully covered his body with the blanket and suddenly noticed the beads of sweat on Elton's face and his glazed over eyes.

"Mr. Douglas?" Kem asked, gently touching Elton's skin. "Doctor Weaver, Mr. Douglas is in shock."

Kerry frowned and touched Elton's skin, "Probably from being exposed to the cold and being given nothing but fluids for a week," she said in a semi-cross voice. "He needs to be warmed up."

"…feel sick," Elton suddenly moaned even though he didn't open his eyes. "…bucket…"

Kerry quickly shoved a bedpan from the shelf into Elton's hands. Elton immediately threw up in the bedpan and slowly opened his eyes; he looked tired and ready to collapse as he coughed weakly.

"I think we'd better move him to the ICU for the time being," Kerry said, relieved that Elton was again conscious. "We can take him up there and admit him right now; we'll do the paperwork later."

Kem nodded and looked down at Elton, "We're going to move you to a nicer room," she said in a soothing voice as he again closed his eyes. "The prison had better co-operate with this idea."

Kerry motioned for the guard, who came right in, "We need to move this patient to the ICU for better care and monitoring," she said in an authoritative tone. "Do we need an escort upstairs?"

"Nope, but I'll have to inform the prison," the guard replied. He then turned and left the room.

Elton suddenly screamed as Kerry and Kem began to move the gurney, "My hands are numb," he gasped, tears rolling uncontrollably down his pale face. "Why are these things on my wrists?"

"We'll take it up with ICU," Kerry replied, not willing to take a chance on removing the restraints.

It wasn't very hard for Kem and Kerry to get Elton's gurney out of the jail ward and into an exam room on the same floor to see if the ICU was really necessary.

* * *

><p>While Kem stayed with Elton, Kerry hurried down the hallway towards the elevator to go arrange things in ICU. She was surprised when the elevator door opened and a nervous Dave was standing there in his scrubs and sneakers with his lab coat on.<p>

"I thought you were covering the ER, Doctor Malucci?" Kerry asked as she stepped on to the elevator.

Dave sighed, "I'm waiting on some tests for a patient and I thought I'd go upstairs to the blood bank and see if I can't give some blood," he said in a tired voice. "I'm not Carter's blood type, but maybe my blood can help someone else. I might need to take a few minutes after I give the blood; just in case."

"Why don't I come with you to the blood bank?" Kerry suggested. "I can make sure you don't faint."

Swallowing hard, Dave nodded and pressed the button that led to the blood bank floor, "I appreciate you coming with me," he replied as the door slid closed. "Needles and I don't exactly get along."

It didn't take long for the elevator to arrive on the floor that the blood bank was on and Kerry silently walked alongside Dave as he approached the sign-in desk where a cheery looking female nurse waited.

"Hi, I'd like to donate some blood," Dave said in a calm voice. "I'm a doctor downstairs in the ER—"

Rising from her seat, the nurse nodded and began to walk off towards an exam room. Dave and Kerry followed the nurse into the exam room that had a long row of comfortable chairs and small machines.

"How are you feeling?" the nurse asked as Dave had a seat in the chair closest to the door.

Dave sighed, "Fine," he replied tonelessly as he silently removed his jacket. "I think I'm A positive."

"We usually type everyone who comes to give blood," the nurse replied in a calm, reassuring voice as she moved to one of the cupboards to gather the necessary supplies. "It'll only take a minute."

Dave nodded and looked at Kerry, "My dad always told me that I was A positive and ordered me to never question that," he said in a nervous voice. "Being typed means an extra needle and I—"

"I'm going to sit here with you," Kerry replied in a firm voice as she took a seat beside the cushy armchair that Dave was sitting in. "It's procedure that they type everyone who gives blood, Dave."

Swallowing hard, Dave self-consciously squeezed his hands together and it was then that Kerry noticed faint scars on the younger doctor's elbows. She said nothing about the scars, however, as she gently took one of Dave's hands in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze to try and relax him a bit.

* * *

><p>"Mrs. Carter, you can't leave until your test results are back," Haleh protested as she watched Eleanor gather her purse and abandon the blanket on the gurney. "Doctor Malucci should be back any minute."<p>

Eleanor scoffed, "I'm not really interested in excuses," she replied aloofly. "Doctor Malucci was nice enough to take my blood for tests, but I'm better now and I have important things to take care of."

Haleh didn't move, causing Eleanor to glare at her, "If you could please show me the way out," Eleanor said in an irritated tone, having seen all from Doctor Malucci that she had needed to see from him.

"I'll show you the way out," Haleh replied as she led Eleanor from the exam room. "Just relax."

As Haleh led Eleanor towards the exit, Amy, Luka, and Nathan came into the ER. Haleh smiled at Nathan and at the fact that he was dressed in dress pants, a dress shirt, and a tie with his staff ID badge hanging on a string around his neck. Eleanor gave Nathan a look of disapproval as she stormed out of the ER.

"Doctor Weaver asked me to do a shift," Nathan said, giving Haleh a smile. "I should report to her."

Haleh nodded, "Doctor Weaver's upstairs visiting Carter, but until she gets back, why don't you watch the desk?" she suggested in a gentle voice. "Frank went on his break and should be back in a bit."

Nathan nodded and moved behind the desk. Luka was about to suggest to Amy that they leave Nathan to his work and go home with Joe when he suddenly noticed Abby enter the ER with an older man and a well-dressed baby in her arms. Not wanting to see his ex-wife, Luka swallowed hard and turned away.

"Amy, I'm going to get a coffee in the lounge," Luka said in a tired voice. "I can take Joe with me."

Suddenly seeing Abby approaching the door, Amy nodded and silently watched as Luka walked off to the lounge with Joe in his arms. The doors slid open and Abby walked in accompanied by Jack and carrying the baby. Amy smiled at Abby and was relieved when the smile was returned by both Jack and Abby.

"How are you, Amy?" Abby asked in a nervous voice. "How is your family doing?"

Amy gave Abby and the baby a gentle hug, "We're all hanging in there," Amy replied. "How are you?"

"I'm about to visit my dying husband," Abby replied softly. "I'm just trying to hang in there."

Amy nodded, "Do you want me to walk you and Jack upstairs?" she offered. "I'd like to see Carter for a moment while I'm here. I visited about five days ago, but he didn't stay awake for very long."

"You can walk us to the elevator," Abby replied in a relieved voice. "It won't be a long visit, though."

Giving Abby and Jack a reassuring smile, Amy led them off towards the elevators. A moment later, Luka came out of the lounge with a Styrofoam cup of coffee in his hand; he sighed wearily and took a sip.

* * *

><p>Ignoring the lightheadedness he was now feeling, Dave sighed and silently watched as the nurse put a taped cotton ball over the spot where the needle had been. He stared at the bag of blood on the table that had just come from his thin body.<p>

"Are you sure about that blood type?" Dave asked in a groggy voice. "My dad always told me that—"

The nurse sighed, "Blood typing never lies," she replied softly. "What kind of juice would you like?"

"I need to get back downstairs," Dave said in a groggy voice. "I have to check on a patient's results."

Dave made to move, but Kerry put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, "Take the juice and give yourself at least 15 minutes before you stand up," she said in a firm voice. "Do you want something to eat too?"

"I guess I'll have apple," Dave replied groggily. "Can you call downstairs for me and ask Haleh—"

As the nurse opened a juice box, placed a straw in it, and handed it to Dave, Kerry shook her head and watched as he slowly sipped the juice, "One thing at a time," Kerry said in a gentle voice.

Before Dave could argue, the door opened and Victor came into the room, "Doctor Weaver?" he asked.

"Yes?" Kerry replied, turning her attention away from Dave to look at Victor. "Can I help you?"

Victor nodded, "Some lady was looking for you in ICU," he replied. "You need to sign a patient in."

"I'll take this blood to storage and mark it," the nurse said. "Just take your time, Doctor Malucci."

Victor was silent as the nurse left the room. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.

"You and this redhead had better come up to ICU with me now," Victor said as he pointed the gun at both Dave and Kerry. "Drop the juice box, get out of the chair, and let's get to the ICU right now."

Not wanting Kerry to get shot, Dave quickly dropped the juice box and slowly got to his feet. He immediately found the gun pointed at his head and tried his best not to do anything stupid.

"You'd better start walking, redhead," Victor hissed as he cocked the gun. "I'll blow his brains out."

Dave sighed, "Look, why doesn't she go down to the ER and put the hospital on lockdown?" he suggested, well aware that saying the wrong thing could get him shot. "If the hospital's on lockdown, it'll make it easier for you to get out of here without attracting attention? I'll stay here with you."

"Lockdown's gonna make all the police come here," Victor hissed. "If the redhead wants you to get shot, Malucci, she's doing an excellent job of making sure that happens. How about we get walking?"

Kerry was amazed when Dave silently nodded and she followed the two of them to the elevator. The door slid open and Victor suddenly gave Kerry a shove into the elevator with his free hand.

"You go downstairs and make sure that nobody stops us from leaving," Victor said in a stern voice as he cocked the gun again. "I want to take this one upstairs first and then he'll be getting us out of here."

Realizing that this gunman was somehow connected to Elton Douglas, Kerry was silent as the doors closed and the elevator whisked her away; she had left Malucci alone with an armed man.

* * *

><p>"Luka, you have to forgive Abby at some point," Amy said in a gentle voice as the two of them watched Jack follow Abby to the elevator with the baby in his arms. "She's doing so much better now."<p>

From inside the privacy of the exam room where Amy had taken him after he had emerged from hiding in the lounge, Luka sighed, "Abby would have already gone upstairs, but the baby needed changing first and Abby needed to use the bathroom," Amy said in a gentle voice. "Hating anyone isn't good, Luka."

Before Luka could reply, the elevator door opened and a distraught looking Kerry stepped off the elevator and immediately fell into Abby's arms, crying. Amy frowned and quickly opened the door.

"…I had no choice but to leave him there," Kerry was sobbing as Amy approached. "I was so stupid."

Amy frowned, "I need to make sure that Security won't try and stop them from leaving the hospital otherwise Doctor Malucci could get shot," Kerry said in an anxious voice. "Just stay down here…"

As Kerry hurried off to the desk, Amy looked at Abby, "A gunman ambushed her and Dave on the blood bank floor and is holding Dave hostage," Abby said, still reeling from what Kerry had told her.

"Abby, perhaps we had better postpone the visit," Jack said. "Is someone going to check on him?"

Abby sighed, "I don't want to do anything that will get Dave shot," she replied. "Hopefully the gunman won't go any further upstairs. I'm going to take the baby home and come back at a later time."

"Let me walk you out," Amy said in a gentle voice, hoping that Luka would come out of the exam room.

There was silence as Amy led Abby, Jack, and the baby through the ER, but Amy gasped when they saw a Security man talking with Kerry, Mark, Frank, and Nathan at the desk, "…Don't let anyone leave the ER until this is dealt with," Amy heard the Security officer say. "We'll keep Security and police presence to a minimum throughout the hospital, but we'll set up a barricade just off of the hospital site…"

"No, the barricade's a bad idea," Kerry replied. "It could cause Doctor Malucci to get shot in the head."

The officer gave Kerry a look, "I need a statement from you about exactly what transpired up there," he said in a stern voice. "You and Doctor Malucci were on the blood bank floor, why exactly?"

"Can we talk about this in the lounge?" Kerry asked, seeing the distraught look on Nathan's face.

The officer nodded and Kerry silently led him into the lounge, "Mark, we need to make sure that the people in Chairs and already in the ER are kept calm," Amy said in a determined voice as Luka approached the desk. "Luka, I need you to go outside and manage any incoming traffic."

"What's going on?" Luka asked as Amy reached for the phone. "What's with all the security?"

Amy quickly dialed a number, "Doctor Romano, there was an incident at the blood bank and Doctor Malucci is currently the hostage of a gunman," she said, ignoring the shocked look that appeared on Luka's face. "I need you to make sure that nobody leaves their floors until this crisis is over."

"What can I do?" Nathan asked, gazing at Luka. "I shouldn't just sit here."

Luka sighed, "You and Frank should help the nurses keep people calm," he replied. "I'll be right back."

* * *

><p>"I hate these scrubs," Elton sniffed as Dave finished dressing him. "Where are we going?"<p>

Dave sighed and threw the hospital gown on the floor, "You should just forget about trying to get Elton to come with you," he said as he gazed at Victor, who had since pocketed the gun. "He can't walk."

"I swear, Dave, if you don't shut up and help me get off this gurney, I will tell Victor to shoot you right now," Elton hissed. "I didn't expect Victor to have the guts to do this, but I'll take what I can get."

Victor chuckled, "Too bad that woman got paged downstairs," he hissed. "She would have loved this."

Just as Dave put the blanket back over Elton's legs, the fire alarm went off and the sprinklers immediately activated, dousing Victor, Elton, and Dave, "We have to go NOW," Dave hissed.

"Victor, forget it!" Elton yelled, annoyed that all wasn't going according to plan. "Help me up!"

Swearing loudly, Victor helped Elton off of the gurney, "Do you have any idea about where you're going to go once I get you out of this hospital?" Dave asked in a nervous voice. "You still need at least a week's worth of medical care before you can go back to jail. You won't get any medical care on the street."

"That's YOUR problem, Davey boy," Elton replied in an amused voice. "Where's my chariot?"

Before Dave could reply, Elton suddenly passed out and slumped in Victor's arms, "Get him back on the gurney," Dave said in an anxious voice. "I told him he wasn't ready to leave and I was right."

Victor helped Dave put Elton back on the gurney and then pulled the gun out, "Get me out of here NOW," Victor hissed, putting the gun back against Dave's head. "Tell an ICU nurse about Elton's problem as you walk me out. If you try anything to get out of this, I WILL shoot you in the head. Understand?"

"Yes," Dave replied as he allowed Victor to escort him from the room, leaving Elton alone.

* * *

><p>"All right, you're out," Dave said as they entered a side alley from one of the many back exits of the hospital. "Where do you wanna go now?"<p>

Victor grinned, but kept the gun pressed against Dave's skull, "Don't get smart, Malucci," he said in a gruff tone as they walked to the edge of the alley. "Get me a taxi so I can get out of here."

Dave nodded and was silent as Victor led him out on to the sidewalk towards a taxi stand, keeping the gun firmly in place. As they waited at the taxi stand, Dave could see Luka walking out of the bay.

"Isn't that an ER doc?" Victor asked, suddenly noticing Luka. "How did you manage to tip someone off?"

Swallowing hard, Dave tried to protest, but Victor cocked the gun, "I WARNED YOU!" Victor yelled, immediately attracting Luka's attention. "I told you not to get anyone else involved."

"I didn't," Dave replied, wincing as Victor shoved him hard against the taxi stand. "I didn't call anyone."

Swearing loudly, Victor hailed a taxi and as it approached the curb, he hit Dave in the face, "Consider this a warning," he hissed, ignoring the pained look on Dave's face. "Next time, I won't be so nice."

"Just go," Dave said in a toneless voice, suddenly beginning to feel overwhelmed. "You're free."

Victor nodded and dropped the gun on the ground before he climbed into the taxi, "Dave, are you all right?" Luka asked, approaching Dave as the taxi sped off down the street. "Dave, talk to me."

Even though he knew Luka was talking to him, Dave couldn't hear anything that was being said; it was like a fog had canceled out his ability to hear. He suddenly felt Luka touching his face and talking.

As his vision began to blur, Dave suddenly felt himself sinking to the ground and into oblivion.

* * *

><p>"…ER," Nathan's voice could be heard saying in a brisk, yet quiet voice. "…He doesn't need to come…"<p>

The sound of a beeping monitor filled Dave's ears, "Dave?" he suddenly heard a familiar female voice ask as he felt sudden pressure on his forehead. "Doctor Weaver, I think he's starting to wake up."

Dave slowly opened his eyes and saw Amy lingering beside him, "How are you feeling, Dave?" Amy asked as she pulled the blanket further up his chest. "You passed out from shock on the street."

"Shock?" Dave repeated, surprised at how weak he sounded. "Am I in the ER, Amy?"

Amy nodded and Dave looked down, suddenly realizing that he was in a gown, on an upright gurney with two blankets covering his body. He looked down at his hand and saw a line in it and a clip on his index finger, "Careful of the electrodes on your chest," she said. "Doctor Romano insisted on them."

"I have to get Daniel from school," Dave replied even though he felt too tired and sore to move.

Shaking her head, Amy sighed, "It's seven p.m.," she replied softly. "Luka got Daniel from school when he went to get Erinn and Katie. Daniel's had dinner and he's in the lounge doing his homework while Mark keeps an eye on him and Ella. Doctor Romano's coming downstairs; he wants to see you."

"I should get back to work," Dave said, wincing as he sat up. "I'm supposed to be on until nine."

Amy frowned as Dave swung his legs over the bed, "Where are my scrubs?" he asked, wincing.

"The nurses had to cut them off," Amy replied softly. "Kerry told me to send you home when you woke up and were declared fit to be released. I'm going to cover the rest of your shift; you need to rest."

Nodding, Dave winced and lay back on the pillow, "You bruised a couple of ribs," Amy explained, relieved to see that her father was coming towards them. "Doctor Romano, it's nice to see you."

"Don't even think about trying to finish your shift, Doctor Malucci," Dr. Romano said in a firm voice.

Dave sighed, "Daniel and I were supposed to have dinner with Jeanie and Chase tonight," he said in a tired voice, wincing as Dr. Romano touched his face. "Dinner in public is part of his ongoing rehabilitation that we try to do twice a week."

"I can call Jeanie and explain what happened," Amy replied softly. "Chase will understand."

Dr. Romano sighed and looked at the monitor, "If you're feeling better, Dave, I'll get you some clothes and make sure that you and Daniel have a ride home," he said in a gentle voice. "I know you and Daniel usually take the El, but I want to make sure you'll be all right. Are you feeling well enough to go home?"

"I will be by the time you find someone who's willing to take Daniel and I home," Dave replied weakly.

Giving Dave a reassuring smile, Dr. Romano tucked the younger doctor's hand under the blanket, "If you fall asleep while I'm arranging things, I'll wake you when I come back," he said in a soothing voice.

As Dr. Romano walked off, Kerry, who had been lingering nearby since Dave woke up, approached the bed and offered Dave a folded up paper, "Your updated blood type," she said in a soft voice. "They labeled your blood and after they stored it. The information about your blood type had to be updated in your personnel file, but Dr. Romano took care of it since your information is strangely semi-classified."

"It keeps all the snoopers out of my personal business," Dave replied as he opened the envelope and read the documented results. "I can't believe I'm really O negative. My dad lied to me all these years."

Kerry sighed, "Just take it easy, Dave," she said as he handed the paper to Amy. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and ready to go home," Dave replied softly. "Doctor Romano's finding Daniel and I a ride."

Nodding, Kerry frowned, "The police haven't been able to find the gunman yet," she said in a concerned voice. "Because of this incident, new ID's will have to be issued to all hospital staff, including you."

"Kerry, we can discuss tighter security measures later," Dr. Romano spoke up as he approached the bed with a pair of blue scrubs and a jacket in his arms. "Here are some clothes for you to wear home and your shoes are by your locker. When you're dressed, Dave, Doctor Greene is going to take you two home and stay around long enough to make sure you're okay."

Dave nodded and Dr. Romano walked away briskly, "I only went to give blood because a patient made me feel bad that I wasn't doing more to help Carter," Dave said in a quiet voice as Kerry pulled the curtain to give Amy and Dave privacy while Dave changed. "Turns out I share a blood type with him."

"Carter will appreciate the blood if he ends up needing it," Amy replied as she removed his gown. "You did a good thing, but you shouldn't let patients make you feel guilty."

As Amy helped him put on the scrubs, Dave couldn't help but wonder if fate was trying to tell him that he should be the one to help Carter; it also brought to mind that there were some things he didn't know about his own life even though his father had told him never to ask questions or be punished severely. Why was life going this way now?

* * *

><p><strong>Would anyone care to review this, pretty please?<strong>


	7. Discoveries of Joy and Pain

Two weeks had passed and although Victor was still unaccounted for, it seemed that he no longer posed a threat to anyone. Elton didn't pose a threat either, as Dr. Romano had quickly arranged for the injured inmate's immediate transfer to Northwestern until Elton was physically ready to return to prison.

After taking a few days to recover from his experience, Dave had returned to juggling a hectic schedule of single parenthood, working with Chase, spending time with his 'family', and working in the ER.

To Dave, it was easier to keep life simple and to his schedule than to look beyond; the testing had caused him to sacrifice sleep at different periods, but he had managed to keep afloat of the chaos.

"Dave?"

Blinking, Dave turned away from the river and found that Jeanie was standing there with Chase on her arm and a concerned expression on her face. Chase was holding a small bouquet of fresh flowers.

"Hey, Chase, where did you get those?" Dave asked, his thoughts quickly coming back into focus.

Chase grinned, "I picked them in the park," he replied happily. "They'll help John feel happy."

"John and Abby will love them," Dave replied in an awed voice. "Anyway, we should finish this walk in the park so I can get to the El on time. I have an appointment at Mercy before I go to County."

Jeanie smiled as the three of them began walking down the path, "Did you tell anyone that you were doing this, Dave?" she asked in a concerned voice. "For something like this, you should have support."

"I told Doctor Romano and Amy in private," Dave replied quietly. "Doctor Romano's going to meet me at Mercy while Amy covers for me until I get to County. He insisted on being there to support me in this."

Jeanie nodded and gently put an arm around him, "Don't look so nervous," she said in a gentle voice, relieved when Dave didn't pull away. "You're trying to do a good thing and you should be commended."

"I'm not even sure why I did it," Dave replied in a troubled voice. "Except for Carter's mother…"

As they stopped at a tree near the edge of the park, Jeanie sighed and Dave quickly looked at his watch, "Oh man, I have to run to the El if I'm going to get to Mercy on time," he said in an anxious voice. "I'll see you two later and I'll tell you how everything goes. Don't tell Carter or Abby anything, okay?"

"It's our secret," Chase replied, grinning at Dave before he smiled at Jeanie. "Right Jeanie?"

Jeanie nodded and smiled at Chase, "Yep," she replied gently. "I'm glad Doctor Romano will be with you today, Dave, as you tend to get a little nervous when you're in stressful situations by yourself."

"It's that obvious, huh?" Dave asked, knowing that Jeanie was right. "Anyway, I should get going."

Again, Jeanie nodded and gave Dave a gentle hug, "Just take one part of the day at a time," she said in a gentle voice as they pulled apart and Chase hugged Dave. "If you feel scared, remember to say so."

"Bye Jeanie, bye Chase," Dave said, forcing himself to smile for Chase's benefit. "Have a good day."

Chase grinned as he let go of Dave and sighed happily as Dave walked off, "Jeanie, why do Doctor Dave's eyes look so sad?" he asked in a worried, child-like voice. "He's doing something really good today."

"Chase, I don't want you to worry about Dave, okay?" Jeanie suggested gently, not at all surprised that Chase was able to see the stress and sadness in Dave's eyes because he saw Dave like a big brother.

Chase nodded, "Can we pick some more flowers for John before we go visit him?" he asked eagerly.

"Of course we can," Jeanie replied in a motherly voice. "After that, we can get them all wrapped up."

Offering a silent prayer in her heart for Dave, Jeanie led Chase back to where he had gotten the flowers.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Patient Room - Chicago Lakeshore Hospital<strong>_

"Did you bring em?" Lucas asked in a nervous voice as he saw a nervous looking Nathan enter the hospital room in his work clothes with a large backpack in his hands. "I can't believe you made it."

Nathan sighed as he set the backpack on the hospital bed, "Mom and Luka are going to kill me for lying when they find out that I snuck over here just so you could go to a meeting," he said in a worried voice as he opened the backpack and pulled out a pair of socks, boxer shorts, a sweatshirt, and jeans.

"The meeting's just downstairs and I need support," Lucas replied as he ripped his gown off and quickly got dressed in the warmer clothes. "Mom's scared to death to come here anymore and Luka's too busy to come out. I could go myself, but I miss my family. You're not in school anymore and I miss you tons."

Nathan smiled, "It's the least I could do," he replied in a gentle voice. "I'm sorry I didn't bring shoes."

"It's okay," Lucas replied as he set the gown on the bed. "I'm one of the few pre-teens in this 90-day program, so it'll be nice to at least have someone at the group meeting I know. It's really scary…"

A nurse suddenly entered a room pushing a wheelchair, "Aw man, I have to ride in one of those things again?" Lucas whined, hating that he couldn't walk anywhere but the bathroom. "Nathan…"

"If you don't ride in that thing, I'm leaving," Nathan replied. "Just follow the rules, okay Lucas?"

Lucas pouted, sighed, and slowly got off the bed and into the wheelchair, "You're one to talk about following rules," he sniffed. Nathan merely grinned and followed closely behind as the nurse wheeled Lucas from the hospital room and down the long hallway towards the rehab center's group room.

Nathan chuckled, but he immediately felt heartsick when he entered the room and saw a nervous looking Sarah huddled in a corner chair dressed in oversized pants and a tank top. Their eyes met.

Trying to remember the counseling he had received during his own time in counseling, Nathan quickly averted his gaze and focused his attention on Lucas; this time was about Lucas, not about himself.

Swallowing hard, Nathan followed the nurse over to the far corner of the room where she set the brake and promptly left the room, "Nathan, I'm sorry I didn't tell you she was here," he suddenly heard Lucas whisper to him. "We're not in any of the same groups and we're not supposed to talk about…"

"I'm fine," Nathan lied even though he felt a headache coming on. "Today is about you, okay?"

Lucas nodded and just to reaffirm that he was okay, Nathan gently took Lucas's hand and patted it.

* * *

><p>The timer hit 00:00:00 and Carter let out a sigh of relief; the dialysis was finished for yet another day.<p>

"How's the bloodsucking machine treating you today?" Abby's amused voice suddenly asked.

Carter smiled as he looked away from the small timer he had next to the dialysis machine and saw that Abby was standing in the doorway with the baby in her arms, "Hey," he said in a tired voice.

"I heard a rumor as I was coming up here," Abby commented in an anxious voice as she carried the baby over to the bed and set her down so that Carter could touch her. "DCFS found a placement…"

As Carter gently caressed the baby's hair, he sighed, "It was going to happen sooner or later," he replied in a somber voice as the baby cooed. "I meant what I said, Abby; we'll still have each other forever."

"I know," Abby replied softly as she sat down on the edge of the bed and turned towards them.

There was suddenly a knock on the wall and Adele wheeled into the room with a large file full of papers in her lap, "Hello, you three," she said in a pleasant voice. "I was wondering if I could talk to you both…"

"I heard a rumor about DCFS finding a placement for the baby," Abby spoke in a nervous voice.

Adele smiled as she wheeled closer to the bed, "Yes, it took a while, but we did find a placement for the baby," she replied pleasantly, opening the folder. "There were some initial reservations, but after we did some legwork and had meetings about it, we decided to let you two adopt the baby if you want."

"Are you serious?" Carter asked in a pleased voice. "That's so incredible; if only I weren't so tired…"

Abby smiled, but then looked confused, "I don't understand," she replied softly as she gently picked the baby up and held her close. "I thought that DCFS would never give me another chance after…"

"Well, Abby, Doctor Malucci put in a good word for you and also referred us to Doctor Weaver for another character reference," Adele replied, smiling at how Abby and the baby seemed to get along.

Abby was silent for a moment and then kissed the baby, "I talked with a judge and he signed the papers already because of your family circumstances," Adele explained as she opened the folder. "All you and John need to do is sign a few papers and the birth certificate. Have you or John thought of a name?"

"Um, John, I was thinking that we could honor the one who helped deliver the baby," Abby said in a gentle voice as she turned to look at John. "We could call her Magdalynn Dalynia Carter; Maggie for short."

Carter was silent for a moment and then smiled, "I think it's a lovely name," he replied in a tired voice.

"I agree," Adele commented as she wrote the name on the birth certificate. "If you'll just sign here…"

Abby nodded and quickly signed the papers with a pen she had in her pocket. She then took the papers from Adele and offered them and the pen to John. John took the pen and carefully signed everything.

"Adele, I was wondering if you could take a family picture for us," Carter asked as he pushed the papers back to Abby and sighed. "Abby's got a camera in her purse and I want to have a memory of this…"

Not wanting to tell Carter that she felt nervous about having her picture taken, Abby sighed patiently and quickly got her camera out of her purse, "Abby, can you hold Maggie close to me?" Carter asked in a tired voice as he knew that as weak as he was, he would drop Maggie. Abby nodded and complied.

Adele took the camera from Abby, "Oh, what a beautiful shot," she commented as she got ready to take the photo of them and saw Abby hold the baby as close to Carter as possible. "One, two, three…smile!"

Carter chuckled as Adele handed the camera back to Abby, "Congratulations," Adele said, seeing that Carter and Abby were both very excited. "I have some work to do, but all of you have a good day."

Carter leaned over and gently kissed Maggie's forehead as Adele wheeled herself out of the room.

"You should take Maggie shopping for some baby stuff," Carter commented in a tired voice after the picture had been taken. "She doesn't have anything and you should also pick a room for her nursery."

Understanding that Carter was trying to subtly tell her that he wanted to sleep and that she should take a break from babysitting him, Abby nodded, "Something a little better than the crib at the edge of the master bed," she replied in a gentle voice, hating that Carter was so tired. "I love you a lot, John."

"I love you too," Carter replied weakly as he sighed and allowed his tired eyes to close so he could sleep.

Abby sighed and quietly left the room with Maggie in her arms so that John could rest without any disturbances. However, once she was gone, Carter sighed, coughed and slowly opened his eyes.

"God, if you're out there, can you do me a favor?" Carter whispered softly. "Can you help me live so I can enjoy my blessings?"

* * *

><p>"…That's it for another group session," the calming voice droned as Nathan walked back into the room.<p>

Nathan sighed and sipped the last of the water in his paper cup before tossing it in the garbage bin by the door. He frowned when he saw that Lucas had moved out of his wheelchair and was now sitting in a chair beside Sarah, talking to her in a low voice. Swallowing hard, Nathan quickly moved into the hall.

Lucas had lied to him, Nathan reflected sadly as he slowly walked down the hallway. His nine year old brother had promised him, their mother, Luka, Dr. Dave, and their grandfather that he wanted to get better and never wanted to socialize with Sarah or Rachel again. Obviously, none of that was true.

Suddenly feeling his headache coming back, Nathan silently made his way through the front entrance of the rehab center part of the hospital. He ignored the sudden cold wind and quickly flagged down a cab, deeply relieved that he had thought to get some money from the stash under his bed that morning.

The driver greeted him in Spanish as he got into the cab and Nathan nodded silently even though his Spanish was excellent; his headache was slowly growing worse and he needed to relax before work.

"Dónde quiere ir?" the cab driver, who was concerned by Nathan's pained expression, asked gently.

Nathan massaged his forehead and sighed as he closed the door, "Cocine Condado Hospital," he replied nervously, praying that his headache wouldn't grow into a migraine during the ride to the hospital.

Even though he was concerned by Nathan's actions, the driver nodded and began to drive off in the direction of Cook County. Nathan sighed and leaned against the window to try and calm himself down.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mercy General Hospital<strong>_

Dr. Romano sitting on a small bench looking concerned was the first thing that Dave saw as he entered the quiet hospital atrium with nothing but his white lab coat covering his oversized scrubs and sneakers.

"If you keep running around Chicago without a coat on, you're going to end up catching pneumonia," Dr. Romano commented as he saw Dave and stood up. "I was getting worried about you; are you okay?"

Dave nodded, "I was just thinking about this on the EL and on my walk from the EL to Mercy," he replied in a nervous voice. "I've only told a few people, but if I don't match, I'm worried it's gonna disappoint…"

"Why don't we see what Nephrology has to say first, hmm?" Dr. Romano suggested, hating the fact that Dave was worrying about things before they happened. "Now, do you have the information they gave you from when you got tested here? If you didn't bring it, I happened to make a copy of it…"

Dave reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, "I have it," he replied nervously.

"Okay, we should go upstairs then," Dr. Romano stated in a gentle voice. "Do you remember the way?"

Dave nodded and silently headed towards the elevator. As he pressed the button, Dr. Romano came up behind him and gave him a concerned look. The doors slid open and Dave sighed; he was really scared.

The elevator ride was silent although Dave suddenly let out a gasp when the lift suddenly stopped at the door slid open. Both Dr. Romano and Dave were surprised to see Dr. Pratt in front of the elevator.

"Dave, Doctor Romano, I was just looking for you," Dr. Pratt commented in a pleasant voice. "Come on."

Dave looked confused, "My appointment's up in Nephrology, Greg," he replied. "Not here in the ER."

"Nephrology's backed up and Doctor Banfield agreed that you can be seen in the ER," Dr. Pratt replied in an apologetic voice as Dave and Dr. Romano stepped off the elevator. "We'll go to Exam Room One."

As they walked through the ER, Dave focused his attention on all of the old hallways he used to walk down with various patients back when he was finishing his residency; most of the nurses were different from the ones he had worked with, as were the doctors, but the memories were still very fresh.

"I see you're still deep in thought about this," Dr. Pratt's gentle voice suddenly rang into his ear.

Dave blinked and, suddenly realizing that they were inside Exam Room One, he blushed, "Sorry," he replied in a nervous voice, immediately noticing a chart in Dr. Pratt's hand. "What are the results?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two Hours Later - Cook County ER<strong>_

"Nathan's supposed to be at home doing schoolwork," Luka growled in an irritated voice as he gazed at Amy, who was seated comfortably at the desk with the phone, several charts, and a plate of food in front of her. "When I phoned the house, there was no answer. I bet he took a taxi to see Lucas…"

Amy sighed and cast a glance at Katie, who was sitting at another part of the desk with her school workbooks open in front of her wearing jeans, boots, and a sweatshirt with her hair in a ponytail and ed scrunchie, before glancing back at Luka, "I had a feeling that Nathan was going to visit Lucas when he asked me to bring Katie with us to work today," she replied calmly. "Nathan feels a bit guilty, Luka."

"Why does Nathan feel guilty?" Luka asked in a concerned voice. "He has no reason to feel guilty."

Before Amy could reply, Mark came hurrying past them and pressed the emergency doors, "Luka, Amy, are you busy?" he asked in a worried voice. "I just got a call from a cab company and there's a taxicab on the way here with a passenger who complained of a headache and threw up in the back of the cab."

"Luka, do you mind sitting here with Katie for a few minutes?" Amy asked as she slowly got to her feet and immediately stretched. "I'm going to help Mark with this patient and then come back to the desk."

Luka frowned, "Are you sure you're not too tired?" he asked in a worried voice. "If you are, I can…"

"Luka, I'm fine," Amy replied in an amused voice as she walked towards Mark. "Katie, listen to Luka."

Katie nodded and continued doing her work as Amy and Mark rushed outside, "Daddy Luka, can I tell you a secret?" she asked in quietly as she looked up from her books. "I'm worried about Nathan."

Luka gave Katie a concerned look, so Katie sighed, "Nathan wakes up in the middle of the night because of bad dreams and he's outside a lot in the dark," she explained in a worried voice. "I hear him, but I just sit at the window and listen to him cry in the backyard. He thinks about that bad man and Lucas a lot."

Katie's eyes suddenly widened, "Mommy and Doctor Greene are walking through the waiting room with Nathan, Daddy Luka," she said in a scared voice as she frowned. "Nathan looks really tired and sick."

Luka turned and frowned when he saw Amy leading a sick looking Nathan across the waiting area while Mark walked alongside them. Luka cast a glance at Katie and then ran over to the door to open it.

"That taxi driver's mad," Nathan mumbled in a faint voice as Amy led him over to the desk where Frank was working on paperwork. "I puked all over his cab and all over him just because of this headache."

Amy sighed, "A stress migraine," she replied softly. "Frank, are there any exam rooms available?"

"I just need a little nap before my shift," Nathan cut in tiredly. "A little sleep will make it go away."

Frank sighed, "Maybe you'd better just be a kid for today and let your mom take care of you," he said in a firm, yet compassionate voice. "You work harder at this job than any other desk clerk I know, Nathan."

"Is Kerry still upstairs with Henry, Frank?" Amy asked in a gentle voice. "Nathan needs peace and quiet."

Frank nodded, "Oh man, I was supposed to visit Joe in daycare," Nathan groaned as he swallowed hard.

"Joe will be fine," Amy replied softly as she put an arm around Nathan. "Let's go to the Suture Room."

Nathan sighed, but didn't argue as Amy led him slowly down the hallway. Luka looked at Frank just as the phone rang and Katie suddenly hopped off of her chair and came around the other side of the desk.

"ER," Frank said in his usual formal voice after picking up the phone. "Okay, I'll tell him to go upstairs."

Mark looked at Luka, "Doctor Greene, Doctor Weaver says for you to meet her up in Doctor Anspaugh's office right away," Frank said in a firm voice as he hung up the phone. "Romano's up there too."

"Oh man, it's probably about Ray Barnett," Mark commented in an irritated voice. "He tried to sluff through his paperwork yesterday and Malucci caught him. I have NEVER seen Dave get that mad and he threatened Ray with a written reprimand next time. Good thing that Ray isn't working today."

Katie looked up at Luka, "Can I go give Nathan a hug?" she asked in a worried voice. "I wanna help him."

"Your mom is going to take care of Nathan for now, sweetie," Luka replied softly as he gazed down at Katie with an affectionate look on his face. "Why don't we go get lunch upstairs in the cafeteria?"

Katie nodded and held her arms up, "Can you carry me?" she asked in a worried voice. "Please?"

"I'll watch her school stuff," Frank offered as Luka smiled and gently scooped Katie into his strong arms.

Luka nodded and carried Katie down the hallway towards the elevators hoping Nathan would be okay.

* * *

><p>When Mark reached Dr. Anspaugh's office, he saw that the door was closed, so he knocked and was surprised when the door immediately opened. He walked in and was surprised to see Dr. Anspaugh sitting behind his desk while Dr. Romano, Kerry, and a very nervous looking Dave sat in chairs on the other side of the desk. Dave was holding an open folder in his lap and he was gazing at the floor.<p>

"Dave, what happened?" Mark asked in a worried voice. "Are you in trouble with administration…?"

Dr. Anspaugh sighed, "Doctor Greene, would you mind closing the door?" he asked in a firm voice.

Mark nodded and closer the door, keeping an eye on how nervous Dave looked, "What's up?" he asked.

"Mark, why don't you have a seat?" Dr. Anspaugh suggested kindly. "Doctor Malucci, go ahead."

Dave nodded, sighed, and looked at Kerry and Mark, "A few weeks ago, I got tested to see if I could donate a kidney to Carter because we apparently share the same blood type," he explained in a nervous voice, trying hard not to throw up in his lap or on the folder. "Anyway, I am a perfect match..."

Suddenly feeling intimidated by the shocked looks Kerry, Mark, and Anspaugh were giving him after he said that, Dave swallowed hard, "An old colleague of mine, Doctor Pratt, and Doctor Romano helped me to find out the results and to also meet with the surgeon. The surgery's scheduled to be in two days."

"Do you want to tell John about this personally?" Kerry asked in a gentle voice. "He'll be happy…"

Dave quickly shook his head, "I don't want a lot of people knowing," he replied nervously. "Okay?"

"Why don't you want many to know that you're doing this?" Kerry asked in a confused voice.

Dave sighed, "I don't want to be seen as some sort of hero," he replied softly. "I'm not a hero, okay?"

There were murmurs of agreement, "Anyway, the surgery's going to be at Mercy and I'm going to use what few vacation days I have on my Attending contract to recover," Dave continued as he closed the folder, picked it up, and got to his feet. "I need to talk to Amy and Luka now about this; excuse me."

Without waiting for a dismissal, Dave silently left the office, "Now that Dave's gone, I want to make arrangements to help him out," Dr. Romano stated calmly. "That is, if you are all willing to help me."

* * *

><p>"I'm so sad that John was too tired to visit," Chase said in a sorrowful voice as he followed Jeanie out of the elevator and into the ER, which was surprisingly quiet. "Do you think he'll like the flowers?"<p>

Jeanie nodded and put a protective arm around Chase, "Yes, I think that John will like the flowers when he wakes up again," she replied in a gentle voice. "I think giving him flowers will help him feel better."

"Jeanie, Chase, what are you doing back down here so soon?" Dave's voice suddenly filtered down the stairs as Dave suddenly came into view and down the stairs. "I thought you two were seeing Carter."

Chase pouted, "John was asleep when we got there, so we left the flowers in a vase," he replied sadly.

"I told Anspaugh, Weaver, and Greene about my upcoming surgery," Dave stated in a tired voice. "I don't know why on earth they looked so concerned; maybe they think I'm crazy for doing it."

Realizing that Dave was indicating that he had matched, Jeanie smiled, "So what if they do?" she replied in an amused voice as she gave Dave a gentle hug. "You're doing a great thing for John, Dave."

"I know," Dave replied as he suddenly spotted Luka lingering outside of the suture room looking worried. "Jeanie, Chase, what do you guys plan to do for the rest of your day? Life skills practice?"

Jeanie shrugged, "We might go by the library and get some books," she replied. "Why?"

Dave shrugged and silently made his way over to where Luka was standing, "Luka, what's up?" he asked.

For a moment, Luka looked surprised to see Dave and then he sighed, "Nathan's got a bad migraine," he replied in a concerned voice as he suddenly spotted Jeanie and Chase. "Who's that with Jeanie?"

"That's Carter's cousin, Chase," Dave replied, smiling at them. "Jeanie and I work with Chase a lot."

Luka nodded and smiled, "I think I'll go say hello," he replied pleasantly. "Amy wants to see you."

Dave nodded; he figured that Amy would want to know how the appointment at Mercy had gone.

As Luka walked towards Jeanie and Chase, Dave sighed and pushed open the door, "Amy?" he asked.

"Dave, come in," Amy replied as she swiveled around on a bedside stool to face him. "How are you?"

Dave sighed and walked into the room, unsurprised to see Nathan sound asleep on the gurney with an IV in one hand, Katie cuddled up beside him and a blanket over the two of them, "Luka said that Nathan has a migraine," he commented as he gave her a concerned look. "Did Nathan go visit Lucas today?"

"Yeah, he did," Amy replied softly as she slowly got to her feet. "How was your appointment?"

For a moment, Dave was silent and then swallowed hard, "I'm a perfect match," he replied. "Doctor Romano helped me with everything today and I agreed to do the surgery in two days and I'm scared."

Amy nodded, "Did you call Magdalynn and tell her?" she asked softly. "She'd want to be there for you."

"In her last letter to me, Magdalynn said that she's back in Matenda and that it's difficult to make phone calls because of all the fighting," Dave replied in a worried voice. "She knows that I got tested and she says that I should do whatever I feel comfortable doing to be a Samaritan. I sure miss her a lot, Amy."

Amy smiled, but decided not to press the subject as she knew that neither Dave nor Dr. Rogers were sure about anything, "Are you wanting to drop Daniel off on your way to Mercy in two days or do you want to come over the night before and have some pre-surgery support?" she asked in a gentle voice.

"I'm not allowed to eat or drink anything the night before, so I doubt a party with your family would be the best remedy for anxiety," Dave replied, chuckling. "Besides, I'm scheduled to work that day while Daniel's in school."

Amy nodded and sighed, "You're doing a good thing, Dave," she stated firmly. "Don't be scared of that."

"I'm not scared of helping Carter," Dave replied in a somber voice. "I'm just wondering why I ended up being the perfect solution to Carter's problem when I'm not even a close friend. It's a little unnerving."

For once, Amy was at a loss for words and watched silently as Dave left the room without saying a word. She silently prayed that he would feel better soon before turning her attention back to watching Nathan and Katie as they slept peacefully.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please read and review!<strong>_


	8. Walking Extra Miles

_**Two Days Later – 2:30 A.M.**_

**_Cook County General_**

"Carter?"

John's eyes popped open and he was surprised to see Peter lingering at his bedside holding a chart in his hand, "Doctor Benton?" he asked in a faint voice. "I'm really sorry I'm not sleeping, but I can't…"

"It's all right, Carter," Peter replied softly as he sat on the stool beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Carter sighed, "This place seems so empty when I'm by myself," he stated in a faint voice.

"It can seem that way, can't it?" Peter replied gently. "Anyway, Carter, I have some news for you…"

Carter suddenly broke into a coughing fit, "Let me guess, UNOS kicked me off the list?" he joked.

"Actually, Carter, a private match came through," Peter replied gently. "The surgery's later today."

Carter's eyes widened, "Are you serious?" he asked in a shocked voice. "Who's the donor?"

"Nobody knows who the donor is," Peter replied truthfully. "I just got a call from UNOS an hour ago."

Carter nodded, "I should call Abby," he said in a weak voice even though he was too weak to move.

"I can call her and your dad," Peter offered gently. "Just rest and don't eat or drink anything."

Despite feeling weak, Carter chuckled, "All I can do is rest," he replied faintly. "My appetite's gone."

"It'll come back after today," Peter replied gently. "I'll come back at about five for pre-op stuff, okay?"

Carter silently watched as Peter left the room and then allowed tears of gratitude to emerge from his tired eyes.

* * *

><p>A loud buzz suddenly sounded from the digital clock, suddenly interrupting soft breathing. Dave sat up in bed and turned the alarm off before it woke Daniel. Daniel would have to wake up soon enough.<p>

It was early, yes, but he was required to be at the hospital by four and travelling to Mercy on the EL would take a great deal of time. Even though both County and Northwestern were easier to get to from where his and Daniel's new apartment was, he wanted to do this in the upmost secrecy.

Sighing, Dave got out of bed and, stripping, he moved into the bathroom and turned the shower on.

Stepping into the shower, Dave allowed the water to run down his back for a moment before switching the water off. No sense in a full-on shower when he had to finish getting ready and get Daniel ready too.

Moving back into his bedroom, Dave quickly pulled some clean second-hand clothes out of his small dresser and quickly dressed in loose blue scrubs. He then grabbed his wallet off the top of his dresser and a small bag, which contained loose clothes, personal paperwork, and a book of word search puzzles and a pen for something to do after the surgery, as it wasn't like he would have company at all.

"Dad, do you think Doctor Carter will be happy that you gave him a kidney?" Daniel asked, fighting to stay awake as he wandered into the master bedroom wearing jeans, a sweater, and his worn out sneakers.

Dave turned away from his bag, "Daniel, you could have slept for a bit longer," he replied gently.

"Do you want some help?" Daniel asked, acting like he hadn't heard that. "I want to spend time with you."

Dave smiled and sat down on his bed, "Are you even packed yet?" he asked gently. "You should pack."

"I packed last night, Dad," Daniel replied in a concerned voice as he sat on the bed. "You helped me."

Suddenly remembering that they had packed Daniel's things the night before while sharing a bag of microwave popcorn and a movie, Dave nodded, "I forgot that we did that," he replied nervously.

There was a moment of silence and Daniel suddenly gave Dave a hug, "I love you, Dad," Daniel said.

"I love you too, Daniel," Dave replied as he put a protective arm around his son. "Go get your stuff."

Daniel nodded, released Dave, got up, and left the room. Dave sighed and silently stared at the floor.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Daniel, don't answer the door," Dave instructed as he got to his feet and hurried out into the living room where Daniel was standing next to the door that had a chain lock on it. "Go gather your stuff, okay?"

Daniel nodded and hurried off to his room. Dave made sure that the lock was in place and then slowly opened the door, deeply surprised when he saw Mark standing in the hallway looking concerned.

"Doctor Greene, it's early in the morning," Dave said in a tired voice. "What are you doing here so early?"

Mark was silent and, slightly irritated, Dave closed the door, undid the chain lock, and opened the door so that Mark could come in, "Daniel's just getting his stuff and then we have to leave," Dave stated as he turned and went to his bedroom to grab his bag. "We have to take the EL to Amy's first and she said she and Luka would watch Daniel for a couple of days while I'm in the hospital. She and Luka have to go visit Lucas later today, but Nathan will be home with Katie and said he can pick up Daniel from school…"

"I actually came by to offer you and Daniel transportation," Mark replied. "I figured you'd be grateful."

As Dave came out of his bedroom with his bag and jacket in hand, he sighed, "Doctor Romano suggested this, I bet," he stated in a tired voice. "I'm not too fond of surgeries of any kind and I am grateful…"

"Dad, what's Ella's dad doing here?" Daniel asked as he came into the living room with an overstuffed bag in his hand and a backpack on his back. Mark smiled at Daniel and Daniel immediately smiled back.

Dave sighed, "Doctor Greene is going to give us a ride in his van," he replied nervously gazing at Daniel.

"Yeah, Daniel, I'm going to drop you by my house and then drive your dad to Mercy," Mark explained in a gentle voice, sensing that Dave was too nervous to talk much. "Elizabeth's got the day off, so she is gonna drive you and Ella to school today. I talked with your Aunt Amy and she says that's a good idea."

Daniel nodded, "Aunt Amy's gotta go visit Lucas cause he's still sick," he replied. "Will he be okay?"

"I hope so," Dave replied in a hollow voice as he looked at Daniel. "C'mon, kiddo, we've gotta leave."

Daniel obediently moved past Mark into the hall, "Do you have everything you're gonna need for the next few days, Dave?" Mark asked, noticing the small bag that Dave was carrying. "That's a small bag."

"I don't have a lot of stuff," Dave replied tersely as he moved out into the hall. "I need to lock up now."

Realizing that he had hit a nerve with Dave, Mark silently nodded and moved out into the hall. Dave reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small key, which he used to close and lock the door.

Dave suddenly sighed and gave Dr. Greene a suspicious look, "Why would you come to this area at two-thirty in the morning and offer me a ride to Mercy?" he asked, his voice full of uncertainty as they walked down the hallway towards the elevator. Mark sighed and watched as Dave pressed the elevator button.

The elevator door slid open and Dave, Daniel, and Mark silently got inside and rode downstairs in silence.

* * *

><p><em>The group room was quiet and Lucas was sitting near the window in nothing but a hospital gown.<em>

_Nathan felt cold as he entered the room and walked over to where Lucas was sitting, "Lucas, it's really cold in here," he commented in a concerned voice. "Why don't you go find something warmer to wear?"_

"_Why are you telling me what to do, Nathan?" Lucas asked as he got up from the window seat._

_Suddenly, Elton appeared dressed in the worker disguise that he had worn the day of the near-fatal stabling and Nathan immediately took a step back, "Don't be scared, Nate," Elton hissed as he advanced on his eldest son. "I didn't get to spend enough time with you earlier; let me come and finish the job…"_

_There was loud laughter and Nathan suddenly was on his back and Elton was hovering over him with a knife in his hand. Elton cackled and the form suddenly changed and shrank to look like an amused Lucas._

"_I'm just like Dad, Nate," Lucas hissed as he ran the knife into Nathan's chest. "You're just like Dad…"_

Nathan shot up in bed and nearly threw up all over his comforter before he realized that he was safe in his bedroom and alone, not at the group center visiting Lucas. His bedroom was quiet and he could hear Erinn and Katie sleeping noisily in the next bedroom. He sighed and slowly got out of his warm bed.

Swallowing hard, Nathan stepped into his slippers that were beside the bed and silently walked out of his bedroom. He was careful not to make any noise as he passed the bedrooms and made his way downstairs, through the kitchen, and out the back door into the medium-sized backyard.

The porch light immediately flashed on and Nathan immediately moved off the deck and into a darker part of the backyard where the patio set was so he could be alone. He _needed_ time to be alone and if he ran away, it would be all the worse for him.

* * *

><p>"Mommy?"<p>

Amy's eyes opened at Katie's voice, but she didn't move, "Yes, baby, what's wrong?" she asked sleepily.

"Nathan's outside again," Katie's voice replied sadly. "I saw him from mine and Erinn's bedroom."

Amy sighed and slowly sat up in bed, revealing a pink t-shirt and gray jacket, not at all surprised to find Katie lingering beside her side of the bed with a housecoat covering her pink pajamas. Fortunately for Amy, Luka remained asleep next to her, as he was very tired and had to be up in just four hours.

"Can you bring Mommy her housecoat and slippers, Katie?" Amy asked in a quiet voice. "I'll take you back to bed and then I'll go into the backyard and talk to Nathan about his sleeping problems, okay?"

Katie nodded and Luka suddenly groaned, "Are you leaving me in this warm bed all by myself, Amy?" he asked in an amused, yet very sleepy voice, which caused Katie to giggle. "You're so cozy for me."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Amy replied gently. "I have to go help Katie and Nathan out."

Luka's eyes suddenly opened and he sat up, "Katie, is Nathan out of bed again?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Katie replied in a nervous voice. "He went outside and off the deck into the yard."

Amy sighed and looked at Luka, "I think we should both go out there and talk to him," she stated in a worried voice as Katie got brought over her robe and slippers. "Katie, come sleep in here for now and if Joe cries while we're outside, come and get us right away. Don't go waking Erinn up, all right?"

Katie waited until Amy and Luka got out of bed before scrambling into the covers. Amy gently kissed Katie, put on her robe, and silently left the room. Luka smiled at Katie and then followed after Amy.

Despite being pregnant, Amy was already outside and sitting at the patio table with Nathan by the time Luka made it outside. The yard light was on and he could see that Amy was gently talking to Nathan.

"…I can't sleep at night," Luka heard Nathan say as he approached the two. "It's making me sick."

Luka silently took a chair next to Amy, "Katie mentioned that you come outside a lot at night," he said in a gentle voice, concerned by how tired Nathan looked. "Are you suffering nightmares from the attack?"

Nathan nodded and shivered, "Coming out here is better than puking my guts out in the bathroom every time I have a nightmare," he replied in a tired voice. "It's a little cold, but it helps to clear my head."

Amy was silent as Luka sighed, "I may have never been stabbed like you or Dave were, but I do understand what it is like to go through something horrible," he said in a gentle voice. "My wife, son, and daughter were killed in bombings that took place in Vukovar many years ago and I used to have horrible flashbacks about the whole experience. I also had another bad experience involving Joe…"

"Lucas is turning into Elton and I'm not," Nathan spoke in a hollow voice as tears filled his eyes.

Amy suddenly frowned, "Do you think you are supposed to?" she asked in a worried voice.

"I'm such a little punk who's nothing but trouble," Nathan replied darkly. "I've gotten in so many fights at school and I was friends with Rachel for the longest time. I was a bad example for Lucas…"

Luka suddenly swore and he stood up, "Nathan, people make choices every day and not everything is within our control even though the choices of others may hurt us very much," he said in a concerned voice as he knelt beside his upset step-son. "Lucas was already struggling with his addiction when he went to that concert with Sarah and Rachel and he didn't become addicted because of you. He's getting help and I don't think it's really fair of him to expect you to take care of him by yourself anymore."

"Lucas is having a hard time, though," Nathan argued in a tired voice. "He needs me to help him."

Amy sighed, "Yes, Lucas is having a hard time," she replied gently. "You, however, should not have to ruin your own life to let Lucas drag you down with his poor decisions. Luka and I are going to the rehab center later today and we're going to talk to the doctors about getting Lucas more help."

"You mean in a place where he'll be away from Sarah and further away from us," Nathan said in a nervous voice. "When I saw him talking with Sarah, I knew he wasn't serious about anything…"

Luka gently patted his arm, "You don't have to worry about that anymore," he cut in, determined to help ease Nathan's stress. "Your mother and I talked yesterday after you told us about Lucas and we just want you to stay here today and take it easy. Luka and I are going to take Katie with us later today and drop her off with Doctor Corday, who has the entire day off. I want you to relax today."

"Oh crap, the surgery's today," Nathan said in an upset voice. "I was supposed to go help with Daniel."

Amy sighed, "Both Dave and your grandfather are very aware of you visiting Lucas and how much it stressed you out," she stated in a worried voice. "They talked and decided to give you a break; Doctor Greene is going to take Dave to the hospital and he's going to drop Daniel off with Doctor Corday…"

"Am I sentenced to going back to my meetings and counseling?" Nathan asked, secretly relieved that he would be able to think about his own needs for the first time in many, many years. "I'm so tired."

Luka sighed and stood up, "I think you could use a little hot chocolate and then a good sleep," Amy said as she got out of her chair and walked over to him. "Joe will be going with us tomorrow, so don't fret."

Nathan nodded and slowly got to his feet, "Mom, you should be in bed," he said in a worried voice, suddenly seeing how tired Amy looked. "Don't pregnant women need to rest a whole bunch?"

"You're doing it again, honey," Amy replied as she put an arm around him. "Just relax and be a kid."

Luka nodded and smiled at Nathan, "You're not alone in this," he said reassuringly. "You have a large family and we all love you; don't be afraid to ask us for help."

Again, Nathan nodded and was quiet as he walked back into the house with his mother and Luka.

* * *

><p>"…Yes, Abby, it's wonderful news," Jack said into the phone as he sat on the bed in the hotel room that he had shared with his ex-wife the night before after she had called him the night before in a rage and prompted him to come and visit her. "…Make sure that you and Maggie get enough rest today…"<p>

There was more talking on the end of the line and then Jack sighed, "…Give my love to John," he said as Abby told him that they were getting off at the EL stop closest to County. "…All right, good bye."

Jack set the phone down on the cradle and gazed over to the couch where Eleanor was passed out after drinking her way through a large bottle of vodka the night before. She was torn up about how Carter's situation had seemed hopeless and how that Dr. Malucci didn't seem to care about John at all.

"Eleanor, in case you were wondering, John is receiving a new kidney this morning," Jack said, even though he was well aware that Eleanor was too drunk to understand him. "Abby just called me."

Eleanor groaned and opened her eyes, "Barbara didn't match, neither did you and I," she said as she slowly sat up and looked at him. "Do you think Dave actually wised up and got tested to help?"

"It is you who needs to wise up, Eleanor," Jack said in a stern voice. "What did you say to Dave?"

Eleanor snarled, "I told him that John was dying and that nobody was doing anything about it," she snapped in a groggy voice. "I didn't tell Dave to go and get tested and I didn't tell him to donate."

"You're the one who instigated all this," Jack replied harshly. "When are you going to tell John?"

Eleanor burped and groaned, "After John's got his new kidney, I'll tell him," she said in a semi-irritated voice as she smoothed down her rumpled pajama shirt. "Barbara's always known about it and I don't think Millicent ever forgave me for what I did. I just didn't want any more children to look after. Dave was better off with his father."

"John may not forgive you for it," Jack stated firmly. "I wouldn't be surprised if Dave hates you too once he finds out the truth."

Eleanor sighed and laid back down, "Anyway, I should get going," Jack said as he stood up and moved away from the bed. "I want to go over to County and see John before the kidney arrives there."

Eleanor's only reply was a groggy mumble as she fell back asleep. Jack sighed and quickly walked out.

* * *

><p><em><strong>5 A.M.<strong>_

_**Mercy General Hospital**_

The sight of Dave standing in the hospital room's bathroom with the gown on the edge of the sink and hands covering bad scars on his torso was something Mark wasn't expecting to see. He set the worn out backpack in the chair closest to the bed and gently cleared his throat to get Dave's attention.

"You forgot your bag in my van," Mark commented in a gentle voice. "I left it in a chair near the bed."

Dave nodded and grabbed the gown off the edge of the sink, "I filled out the chart and they told me where my room would be," he said as he quickly put the gown over his torso. "You're gonna be late."

"I work the nightshift tonight," Mark replied calmly. "Do you want me to tie your gown for you?"

Mark frowned when Dave suddenly tensed, "I can handle it," Dave said as he gazed at the sink.

Nodding, Mark watched as Dave reached back and tried to tie a not, but failed, "I didn't know you didn't like to be touched, Dave," Mark commented as he watched Dave. "You don't flinch when Amy…"

"Amy knows my limits," Dave replied softly. "Can you please tie the gown for me, Doctor Greene?"

Mark sighed and carefully tied the gown closed. He was silent as Dave moved out of the bathroom and took a seat on the freshly made hospital bed, allowing his bare legs and feet to dangle over the edge.

There was suddenly a knock at the door and a middle-aged woman in pink scrubs came into the room pushing a drug cart and holding a pair of leggings on one hand. Dave sighed and immediately stood.

"Dave Malucci?" the woman asked in a gentle voice. "I'm the anesthesiology assistant and I…"

Dave nodded and the woman handed him the leggings, "Put those on to prevent blood clots in your legs," she instructed him as she began getting her supplies together. "Doctor Rasgotra is talking with the anesthesiologist right now, so they sent me to prep you. You're having an open incision done, right?"

"Yes," Dave replied as he quickly stood up, put the leggings on, and sat back down on the bed, ignoring the shocked look Mark was giving him. "Doctor Romano said that the laparoscopic method would be too risky because of my past medical history. I signed the consent forms in the waiting room earlier."

The woman nodded and walked over to the bed carrying an IV bag and a plastic tie, "Okay, Dave, I'm gonna need you to lie down and relax," she said in a gentle voice as she carefully wrapped the tie around Dave's upper arm. "I have to get an IV started so that you can be all ready to go to the O.R."

"Dave, I'm gonna call Elizabeth and check on Ella and Daniel," Mark lied, fully intending to sneak to the nearby gift shop and get Dave some socks or slippers to keep his feet warm. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Silently wondering if Dr. Greene was now looking for a way to get away from him, Dave nodded and silently lay down, resting his head on the pillow. Mark sighed and silently left the hospital room.

As the nurse prepared his arm, Dave suddenly began to feel tired and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cook County General - Nephrology Floor<strong>_

Abby entered the hospital room with Maggie in her arms and was unsurprised to see that Peter was sitting in a chair at Carter's bedside, watching as Carter slept, "Hi Peter," Abby said nervously.

"Hey," Peter replied in a pleasant voice as Abby approached the bed. "How are you doing?"

Abby sighed and gently set Maggie on the bed, "I'm really happy for John," she replied in a nervous voice, deeply anxious to be around one of her old colleagues. "He's so tired of having dialysis…"

"Abby, why do you seem so nervous every time you've come to County?" Peter asked in a concerned voice as he got to his feet. "You and Carter seem to love each other and you have a daughter now…"

Abby shrugged, "When does John go to pre-op?" she asked, not wanting to talk about the incident.

"Abby, is that you?" Carter mumbled sleepily as he moved his hand and felt Maggie. "Aah."

Carter opened his eyes, immediately smiling when he saw Abby pick up the baby, "I knew you'd come," he said in a weak voice as he sighed. "I'd take your hand, but I can't even lift my arm from the bed."

"I'm gonna go see what's going on with it," Peter said, wanting Carter and Abby to have time alone.

As Peter left the room, Abby sighed, leaned forward, and planted a gentle kiss on John's forehead.

Suddenly, the door opened and Dr. Romano came into the room, "Good morning, Doctor Carter, Mrs. Carter," he said, as he walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling today, Doctor Carter?"

"Nervous," Carter replied in a tired voice. "I heard that a private donor had been found."

Dr. Romano nodded, "That's what I heard," he replied, not wanting to tell Carter that Dave was currently over at Mercy being prepared for surgery. "I also heard that you and Abby had a kid."

"This hospital is a giant rumor mill," Carter replied in a semi-amused voice. "Yes, it's true. We did."

Dr. Romano looked at the baby in Abby's arms, "Is that the one from Africa?" he asked in a curious voice, wondering how they managed to get DCFS to help them. "How did you two adopt her?"

There was a sudden knock at the door and Perry, who was one of the hospital anesthesiologists, entered the room, "The kidney should be delivered within the next hour," he said in an excited voice.

"Thank heavens for small miracles," Carter whispered as he gazed up at the ceiling to try and relax.

* * *

><p>"Dave?"<p>

Despite feeling as if he had run a marathon, Dave opened his eyes just in time to see Dr. Greene putting clean socks on his feet. There was a blanket covering his chest and legs and he felt slightly groggy

Blinking, Dave gazed at the digital clock above his door and his gaze slowly wandered down to the IV line that was now in his arm, "The anesthesiologist's waiting for you," Mark commented in a gentle voice. "The nurse just went to grab your chart from the desk and will be right back to take you to O.R. prep."

"I must have fallen asleep," Dave said in an apologetic voice. "Where did you get the socks from?"

Mark sighed and moved further up the bed, "I snuck to the gift shop while you slept," he replied in a calm voice, hoping to ease Dave's anxiety. "I also got you some slippers and put them in your bag. The bag's in the closet with your street clothes."

Before Dave could reply, Neela came into the room with the one who had been there previously, "Ready to go?" she asked in a gentle voice, giving Dave a reassuring smile. "The donor team's standing by."

"All right, let's do this," Dave replied in a groggy voice."Thanks for the company, Doctor Greene."

Mark nodded and Neela looked at him, "Doctor Mark Greene?" she asked in a gentle voice as the nurse lowered the gurney and gently removed the pillow from underneath Dave's head. "I heard a lot of good things about you when I met with Dave a few days ago to discuss the surgery and plan it out."

"I don't say anything bad about anyone," Dave commented as he looked up at Mark. "It's abusive."

Neela looked at Mark, "Doctor Greene, would you like to observe?" she asked, remembering that Dave's medical history had endless mentions of trauma and anxiety. "Would you be okay with that, Dave?"

"Yeah," Dave replied in a toneless voice. "I'm gonna be out cold, so it doesn't really matter to me."

There was silence as the ladies in blue scrubs wheeled Dave out of the room and down the hallway towards the nearby operating theatre. Mark and Neela followed close behind to keep an eye on Dave.

"Ugh, it's cold," Dave moaned as he was rolled into O.R. prep and felt his entire body chill. "Sorry."

The anesthesiologist nodded in understanding as she came over to him, "It's all right, I understand your anxiety and I just want you to relax," he said. "Although there will be a tube down your throat during the surgery, it'll be out and you'll have an NG tube in your nose when you wake up in Recovery."

Another woman in blue scrubs came over to the gurney holding a syringe, "Dave, I'm just going to insert a mild sedative to relax you before you're wheeled into the operating room," she explained, as she inserted the syringe into the IV line connected to Dave's arm. "When you start feeling sleepy, don't fight it."

"Doctor Greene, I have to go change and scrub," Neela said as she moved towards the door.

Mark nodded and switched his gaze back to Dave, who had scooted over to the operating table and was now slowly falling asleep while everyone worked around him, "This table's really cold even with the blanket under it," Dave commented in a groggy voice as he stared up at Mark. "It's hard on my back."

"Just close your eyes and relax," Mark replied in a calming tone. "You won't feel it in a minute."

Dave nodded and allowed his eyes to fall shut, "Doctor Greene, you should go and change into scrubs," Neela's voice suddenly spoke from behind him. "I'd also like to talk to you for minute if I may."

Mark nodded and followed Neela out of the O.R. and into a nearby locker room where a pair of blue scrubs was folded on a bench, "I noticed the look of concern on your face when I mentioned that Dave was having an open incision as opposed to the laparoscopic procedure," she said, turning her back as Mark quickly changed out of his street clothes and into the scrubs. "It's a necessary precaution that Doctor Romano insisted on because of Dave's past medical history and it's one I agreed to follow."

"Was Dave a victim of child abuse?" Mark asked as he followed Neela back into the O.R. and saw that Dave had been stripped, intubated, and was completely under anesthesia. "He's sensitive to touch."

Neela sighed, "I'm afraid that's confidential," she replied solemnly. "All right, people; let's get started."

* * *

><p>The soft knocking prompted Dr. Romano to look up from the paperwork he was looking over and he was surprised to see Jeanie lingering at the open door to his office, "Jeanie, hello," Dr. Romano said in a compassionate voice. "I thought you'd be with the rest of the crowd in the surgical waiting room."<p>

"Not this early in the morning," Jeanie replied in an amused voice. "I got a call from Amy an hour ago."

Dr. Romano nodded, "I've been up since three," he replied. "I know Nathan's not feeling up to looking after Daniel today and I also know that Luka and Amy are going to be very busy until later. I am also trying to keep busy since Doctor Malucci is donating a kidney to Doctor Carter this morning and I am very worried about how Doctor Malucci will handle the surgery. Amy's planning to go by Mercy this afternoon and Doctor Greene is with him now, but Dave has been like a son to me for a long time."

"I know," Jeanie replied softly. "You've been really good for Dave's self-esteem, Doctor Romano."

Dr. Romano grunted and, understanding his desire to be left alone, Jeanie smiled and silently left to go to the Kenner Institute for her morning ritual with Chase. Relieved that Jeanie didn't bother him any further than she did, Dr. Romano got up, crossed the floor, and closed himself into his large office.

"Seriously, God, if you are out there, look after Dave," Dr. Romano said as he moved back to his desk and sat down in his office chair. "He's been through way too much and needs your help today."

* * *

><p><strong>Please read and give detailed reviews!<strong>


	9. Gestures of Love and Pain

_**Mercy Hospital - 5:30 A.M.**_

There was blood on the floor, yet nobody paid much attention to it. The only sound anyone heard was the steady rhythm of the monitor. People in scrubs, surgical gowns, masks, and gloves surrounded the table where Dave lay heavily sedated and intubated with a drape covering his battered body.

"…Pressure's steady," Mark heard one of the O.R. nurses say as he watched Neela put one of Dave's kidneys into an open cooler full of ice that had been placed on a surgical tray. "What a kidney."

Neela turned away as Dr. Anspaugh suddenly came in, "I've come for the kidney," he said as he hurried over to the cooler and closed it. "There's quite a crowd waiting to see how Carter will do in surgery."

"Hopefully Dave will be happy when Carter's back on his feet," Mark commented pleasantly.

Dr. Anspaugh picked up the cooler, "Doctor Malucci's giving Doctor Carter quite a gift," he said.

"Doctor Anspaugh, as a surgeon, would you say internal scarring is normal?" Neela, who was suddenly unnerved by some old internal scarring inside Dave, asked softly. "There's evidence here of…"

The monitor suddenly began to whine, "Pressure's s dropping," a nurse reported in an urgent voice.

"Do you want me to scrub in and assist, Doctor Rasgotra?" Dr. Anspaugh, who was concerned that the kidney extraction had triggered internal trauma. "This kidney's got some time before it needs…"

Neela scoffed, "Suction!" she snapped to a nearby nurse. "Take the kidney and get it to the recipient!"

Dr. Anspaugh nodded and hurried out of the room with the cooler, "He's bleeding!" Neela yelled angrily as the monitor continued to whine. "Some scar tissue is bleeding! I NEED MORE SUCTION!"

"How can there be old scar tissue?" Mark asked in a concerned voice. "Dave's never suffered…"

Neela swore as the last of the blood was suctioned out, "His entire body seemed to spasm once the kidney was out," she replied in a distressed voice. "I'm going to mention this to Doctor Romano later…"

"His pressure's still low," Mark snapped, taking a quick glance at the monitor. "Is that normal?"

Neela didn't reply, however, and Mark decided that it was better to be quiet so that Doctor Rasgotra-Gallant could finish operating as quickly as possible and get Dave into Recovery. He and Dave would have plenty of time to talk about things while Dave was recovering, Mark reasoned silently.

* * *

><p>Ignoring the sudden breeze that had cropped up, Michael Gallant closed his cell-phone and slipped it back into the pocket of the large trenchcoat he was wearing over his Army uniform; he figured Neela was in surgery if she wasn't answering her phone. It wasn't like she was expecting him, either. He had gotten some emergency leave to deal with business in Chicago that would no doubt cause a bit of pain.<p>

"Excuse me, can I help you?" Kerry, who had just gotten off the EL with Henry in her arms, asked as she came up the ambulance bay entrance where Michael stood. "I'm Doctor Weaver and I work here."

Michael sighed, "I'm visiting from Iraq after making a stop in Kisangani," he replied somberly as he clutched the manila envelope in his gloved hands. "I'm looking for a Doctor Dave Malucci, actually."

"Doctor Malucci has some time off," Kerry replied in a concerned voice. "Why are you looking for him?"

Michael frowned, "I was told only to deliver that information to Doctor Malucci," he replied abruptly.

"Look, Doctor Malucci will be back in a couple of weeks," Kerry replied in an exasperated voice.

Michael sighed, "Doctor Rogers from the Kisangani clinic wrote a letter and sent some things along for Doctor Malucci and she was insistent that he get them," he explained in a somber voice. "I was granted special leave from my military service in Iraq to deliver this on behalf of Doctors Without Borders."

"Why would Doctors Without Borders want to talk to Doctor Malucci?" Kerry asked as she and Michael began to walk up the ambulance bay towards the emergency room door. "Has something happened?"

As they reached the doors to the emergency room, Michael suddenly looked uneasy, "If Doctor Malucci isn't available, is there perhaps a relative of his I could talk to?" he asked in a calm, but anxious voice.

"Is this about Doctor Rogers?" Kerry asked in a worried voice. "I know she and Dave kept in touch."

Suddenly, Henry began to cry, "Oh, I think he either needs a change or he's hungry again," Kerry said in an exasperated voice, forgetting all about Dr. Rogers. "If you need to talk to someone about something concerning Doctor Malucci, I suggest you talk to Doctor Romano; he's the closest thing to a relative…"

"Thank you, Doctor Weaver, I will," Michael replied nervously. "Which way to Doctor Romano's…?"

Michael suddenly found himself alone as Kerry rushed Henry off into the lounge. He looked around the busy ER and finally decided to go over to the desk where two large men were talking quietly.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a Doctor Romano," Michael said in an anxious voice. "I'm Michael Gallant…"

Frank pointed down the hallway towards the elevators, "Take the elevator to the Administration floor and Doctor Romano might still be in his office," he replied. "If you get lost, ask a desk person for help."

"Thank you," Michael replied, moving off down the hallway in the direction that Frank had pointed.

* * *

><p>Upstairs on the Nephrology floor, Abby walked into John's hospital room to find him in bed, but awake.<p>

"John, how are you feeling?" Abby asked, as she moved over to the bed and took his hand.

Carter smiled, although the previous day's dialysis had been hard on him and he was currently feeling nauseous, "I'm all right, love," he replied. "How are you? Where's Maggie at?"

"My mom came this morning and is looking after Maggie so I can spend some quality time with my husband," Abby stated, as she sat on the edge of the bed. "She knew that I needed to be here today."

Carter sighed, "I still can't believe this is happening," he replied weakly. "I'm actually getting a kidney."

"It's a miracle," Abby replied softly as she lay on the bed beside him. "Now you won't leave me…"

Carter gently kissed his wife's cheek, "Never," he replied, carefully putting an arm around her and being happy that he could do that because the dialysis shunt had been removed the night before. "Doctor Benton was in here earlier this morning and said he's gonna be the one to put the kidney inside of me."

"At least you know you'll be in good hands," Abby replied, snuggling close to him. "I don't know what I'm going to do with myself while you're in surgery since my mom told me not to worry about Maggie at all."

Carter's brow creased, "Aren't my folks coming?" he asked worriedly. "Maybe you could visit with them."

"Your dad said he would be coming a little bit later, but I haven't heard from your mom at all," Abby replied softly as she gently stroked some bangs off of his forehead. "I've heard rumors for the past few days that you might be getting a lot of visitors from the ER after the surgery's over and you're in a room."

Carter chuckled just as Peter walked into the room with a few O.R. nurses, all of whom looked amused at seeing Carter and Abby lying together on the bed, "Just got a call from Doctor Anspaugh and he's on his way to County with the kidney in a chopper," Peter said in a calm voice. "We should get you prepped."

"I love you," Abby whispered, kissing Carter on the cheek as she quickly scrambled off the bed.

Carter sighed as the nurses came over to the bed and raised the bed rails, "Just relax and before you know it, you'll be in Recovery with a functioning kidney," Peter said reassuringly. "Say bye to Abby."

"I love you," Carter whispered as his bed was pushed away from the wall and out of the hospital room.

Abby sighed, was silent for a moment, and then gazed up at the ceiling, "Okay God, I know I haven't really given you a lot of acknowledgment in the past, but I am now," she said in a worried voice. "I want you to look after John and help him get better; help him to be strong enough to come back to us."

Silence was the only reply Abby got and, letting out a patient sigh, she silently left the room to think.

* * *

><p>"I'm not going and that's final," Eleanor said in a defiant voice as she sat on her hotel bed in silk pajamas with her hair in a tight bun staring at her ex-husband, who lingered by the hotel door in a suit and coat.<p>

Jack sighed and fought the urge to roll his eyes, "John is getting a kidney today and you don't even want to be there to support him?" he asked in an annoyed tone. "What if it was Dave who donated it?"

"I can't stand the thought of being around either of them today," Eleanor replied in an anxious voice as she lay back on her pillow and looked at him even though she was on the verge of crying. "It was hard enough going to that cesspool hospital to see what Dave had become without letting John know!"

Scoffing, Jack removed his coat and straightened his tie, "Eventually, John will want to know who donated the kidney to him and why they did it, Eleanor," he stated crossly. "You need to be honest."

"John will never forgive me if I tell him the truth!" Eleanor yelled angrily. "I wish you had never met Dave Malucci that day at the hospital and then told me! I thought I would never see my baby again!"

There was a moment of silence and Eleanor burst into tears, "When you told me about your affair and that you got pregnant from it, Eleanor, I was fully prepared to treat the baby as if I had been the father," Jack said in a firm voice as he watched her cry from where he was. "When Dave was born, I was very pleased that John would have a brother to grow up with and I was prepared to do whatever I could."

"Millicent was disgusted with the affair," Eleanor sniffled. "I thought giving Dave up was the only way."

Anger pulsed through Jack's veins and he fought hard to control it, "Millicent was also prepared to accept Dave into the family, but you didn't want to risk losing another son like you lost Bobby," he replied in a cold tone as he put his coat back on. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to drop by County to see if Abby needs anything and then I might just wait around there and find out who donated the kidney."

"Judging by the expression on Dave's face when I ranted about John's health, I'm guessing he went and got himself tested immediately," Eleanor sniffed, quickly composing herself. "I don't want to tell him…"

Jack sighed heavily, "Why not write Dave a letter?" he suggested softly. "I know you wanted to contact Dave's father several times while Dave was growing up, but I don't know why you never did."

"Tony moved around a lot," Eleanor replied tiredly. "He said if I was giving Dave up, it would be forever."

Jack nodded, "Write Dave a letter even if you don't send it," he replied. "Find a way to reveal the truth."

"I'll think about it," Eleanor replied softly, tears streaming down her face. "John needs you right now."

Letting out a patient sigh, Jack nodded and silently left the hotel room. Eleanor sat on the bed for a moment and then stood up. She walked over to the room desk and picked up a pen and some paper.

* * *

><p>"Here you are, Doctor Carter," Dr. Anspaugh, who had changed into scrubs after the chopper had landed on the hospital roof, said joviantly as he carried the cooler holding the kidney into the operating room.<p>

Even though he was cold and beginning to feel groggy from medication, John smiled and Peter moved a few steps so the cooler could be seen clearly, "I can't believe this is actually happening," John whispered groggily as tears began to stream down his pale face. "I've been so sick for so long and now I'm…"

"Carter, just relax," Peter cut in gently, dabbing at Carter's tears with a tissue. "I gotta go scrub, okay?"

Dr. Anspaugh smiled at John and then followed Peter out of the room; he hoped all was well with Dave and intended to talk to Dr. Romano about if there had been any news about Dave's condition. Peter, however, quickly scrubbed and returned to the O.R. As he was gowned and gloved, he saw that Carter had been anesthetized and intubated. Peter sighed and walked over to the table; it was time.

* * *

><p>Dr. Romano, meanwhile, was in his office and gathering all of his essential paperwork so that he could leave for Mercy shortly. He couldn't be in the operating room or in the post-op recovery room because his prosthetic arm might cause infection, but he fully intended on being in Dave's hospital room.<p>

It was why he had sent Mark Greene to Dave's apartment that morning, Robert silently mused as he gathered his papers and stuffed them into a worn satchel; Mark was mature enough not to do anything but serve as comfort and reassurance for Dave, as Dave was helping Carter but deeply afraid of surgery.

A sudden knock at the door caused Robert to look up irritably, only to see a man in a sharp looking military uniform standing in the doorway holding a large envelope in one hand, "Excuse me, are you Doctor Romano?" Michael asked nervously. "Doctor Weaver said to bring this to your attention."

"Bring what to my attention?" Robert asked, suddenly feeling concerned. "What's wrong now?"

Michael sighed, "I was told to give this to Doctor Malucci by the clinic in Kisangani," he replied softly.

"What is it?" Robert asked, suddenly wondering if this was about the friend Dave had made in Africa.

Michael silently walked into the office and handed Robert the envelope, "Doctor Magdalynn Rogers of the clinic travelled to Matenda to tend to the wounded there and several weeks went by before soldiers returned with only her possessions," he explained somberly. "Doctor Rogers was listed as missing."

"Oh boy," Robert replied as he gazed at the scraggly writing on the envelope and let out a deep sigh.

Michael frowned, "I was actually hoping to speak with Doctor Malucci, but Doctor Weaver referred me to you since Doctor Malucci's not working today," he explained nervously. "When will he be back?"

"I'll take care of this," Robert replied softly, his heart going out to Dave. "Thank you for telling me."

Michael nodded and silently left the office. Robert stared at the envelop and then put it in his satchel.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chicago Lakeshore Hospital<strong>_

The clock hit 7:00 as Luka walked into the foyer of the rehabilitation unit and he immediately frowned at what he saw; Lucas was sitting on a bench in the atrium talking with Sarah and a nervous looking Ray.

Luka's frown deepened as he walked across the foyer; why weren't the staff down here supervising?

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Luka asked in a sharp voice as he walked over to the three.

Lucas frowned and looked at the floor, "Oh, hey Doctor Kovac," Ray said nervously as he stood up.

"I thought you were told to stay away from Lucas and Sarah," Luka said sharply, glaring at Ray.

Ray scoffed, "Doctor Romano can't be everywhere and what I do in my off-time is my business," Ray replied sharply, daring Luka to challenge him. "Besides, Sarah's 16 and can do what she wants…"

"What is going on here?!" a sharp voice suddenly said from behind Luka. "This is not a club!"

Ray swore, grabbed Sarah, and tried to move past Luka, but Luka gently pulled Sarah away from him and moved her back to where Lucas was. Unaware that a doctor and two Security guards were coming up behind him, Ray reared back and punched Luka in the face. Luka touched his face and Lucas gasped.

"I thought I told you to not come back here, Mister Barnett!" the doctor yelled as the Security guards grabbed Ray and dragged him towards the entrance. "Doctor Romano will hear of this kafuffle."

Luka sighed and looked at Lucas, "Aren't you supposed to stay away from Sarah?" he asked softly.

"Where's my mom?" Lucas asked in a defiant voice. "The doctor told me that Mom was coming."

Luka bit his lip, "Your mother's at home because it stresses her out too much to come and see you having no desire whatsoever to get better," he replied firmly. "Seeing you with Sarah is proof."

"Sarah's my only friend here," Lucas replied, gazing up at Luka. "Nathan doesn't come anymore."

Sarah swallowed hard and silently walked down the hallway towards the elevators to go back to her room so that Luka and Lucas could talk alone. She was tempted to call her father and confess it all.

"Nathan doesn't want to come because he saw you hanging out with Sarah the last time he was here," Luka explained, forcing himself to calm down. "He said you broke a promise to him and he's upset."

Lucas sighed, "You and Mom ran off to Africa and the pills were the only thing that made sense," he stated, giving Luka a death glare as he moved towards the elevators. "I wanna go back to my room."

Luka looked at the doctor helplessly as Lucas walked away, "I want to put Lucas into a more intensive program because he's not showing much progress," the doctor explained softly. "Let's go to my office."

Luka nodded and, gazing briefly at Lucas, he followed the doctor down another hallway to the office.

* * *

><p>"…Oh Elizabeth, you didn't have to do this," Nathan heard his mother say in a surprised voice as he suddenly began to be aware of his surroundings. "…Why don't you and Ella come in for a bit?"<p>

As the door closed, Nathan opened his eyes and was immediately confused when he felt a large pillow beneath him and a warm blanket covering him. He was obviously on the couch, but how did he get…?

"Hi Nathan!" Ella said excitedly as she hurried over to the couch. "Are you feeling better yet?"

Nathan frowned, deeply confused, "Ella, let's not bother Nathan right now, okay?" Amy said in an anxious voice as she came into the living room. "Why don't you go visit with Erinn and Katie in the kitchen? I think your mother just went in there with the food she brought us for breakfast."

Ella nodded and hurried into the kitchen, "How'd I get on the couch, Mom?" Nathan asked groggily.

"When you came in with Luka and I last night, you were so tired you could hardly walk," Amy explained softly as she pulled her shirt down over the loose scrub pants she was wearing. "Luka decided to settle you on the couch and stayed up half the night because he was scared of you having nightmares."

Nathan nodded and his eyes suddenly widened, "You and Luka have to go visit Lucas at the rehab center today!" he said anxiously, sitting up fast and immediately getting a headache from it. "Oh man…"

"Luka went by himself," Amy replied softly as she sat on the couch next to Nathan and pulled him close.

Nathan sighed and relaxed as he felt his mother stroke his hair, "Luka and I talked before he left and we think that you should only work at the ER if him, Dave, or I are on shift," Amy explained gently. "We trust that you're responsible, but with all that's happened recently, you need more protection."

"I've got a headache," Nathan murmured softly, silently agreeing with her. "I need my iron pills."

Amy nodded and carefully helped Nathan stand up, "Elizabeth, Daniel, and Ella came over early and Elizabeth brought breakfast for us," she explained as they entered the kitchen and saw Katie, Ella, and Erinn sitting at the table in their school clothes with filled plates in front of them while Elizabeth lingered at the counter watching them. "I fed Joe earlier, but he was tired, so he's upstairs in his crib asleep."

Swallowing hard, Nathan sat at the table next to Katie and remained silent as his mother placed a plate filled with a small omelet, two halves of a muffin, and a small bowl of yogurt in front of him with all of the utensils, "After breakfast, you should do a little bit of schoolwork on your computer if you're feeling up to it and then just take it easy today. Elizabeth, you did bring Daniel, right? Where did he go?"

Before Elizabeth could reply, the front door opened and Daniel came into the kitchen with his backpack on his back and large cards in his hands, "I'm finished," he said as he set the cards on the table. "I wanted to make get well cards for Uncle Dave and for Doctor Carter since they're in the hospital."

"Oh Daniel, that is so kind of you," Amy replied gently. "Doctor Carter and your father will like them."

Elizabeth smiled as Daniel took a seat at the table next to Ella, "Can I have something to eat, Aunt Amy?" he asked in a soft voice. "Ella's mom gave us food, but I'm still really, really hungry this morning."

Amy smiled, "Of course you can, Daniel," she replied gently. "Elizabeth, would you like some food too?"

"Sure," Elizabeth replied happily as she sat at the table with the children. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Amy chuckled as she got two more plates out of the cupboard, "I'm perfectly fine," she replied gently as she moved over to the basket of food that sat on the counter. "I'll make plates and then have some."

* * *

><p>Post-Op Recovery – Mercy Hospital<p>

The digital clock switched to 0730 as Mark leaned back in the small chair beside the area where the nurses had placed Dave's gurney. Dr. Rasgotra had been in and out since the surgery had finished, but Mark had stayed with Dave the entire time; the surgery had ended around five-thirty and…

A faint cough suddenly caught Mark's attention and he looked down just in time to see Dave, who still looked very pale despite the fluids, antibiotics, and blood being given to him, let out a weak groan.

"Dave?" Mark asked, concerned when Dave didn't wake up, but started moving his hands. "Dave?"

There was another soft groan and Dave opened his eyes, "Get me a bucket," he whispered softly.

Mark's eyes widened as he quickly grabbed the bucket left by a nurse off the portable table and stuck it under Dave's chin. Dave promptly sat up and vomited into the bucket just as Neela came into the room.

"Ow," Dave groaned softly as he lay back down and tried to control his shaking hands. "I hurt a lot."

Neela sighed as Mark moved away from the bed with the bucket in his hand, "How are you feeling, Doctor Malucci?" she asked as she walked over to the bed. "I'm just about to go off shift and…"

"I'm sore and feeling really tired," Dave replied groggily as he felt the blanket covering his body.

Neela nodded and checked the monitor next to Dave's bed, "You're still coming out of the anesthesia and you're also on antibiotics that will make you tired," she explained, gazing gently at him.

"How long am I gonna have to be here?" Dave asked, struggling to stay awake. "I hate hospitals."

Neela smiled, "A few days," she replied gently. "Your body spasmed out during the surgery…"

"I had a lot of surgeries as a kid and teen," Dave whispered. "I was beaten up a lot…"

Mark frowned, but didn't comment as Dave probably wasn't fully aware as to what he was saying because he was still under the anesthesia a bit; was Dave's past why Dr. Romano cared about him?

"…Anyway, you should be moved to a regular room before lunch if there are no complications," Neela explained gently as she made some notes on the chart beside the bed. "If you have any pain, there's a button near your right hand that will relieve it and allow you to sleep. Try to get some rest now…"

As Neela left, Mark saw Dave let out a deep sigh and immediately wince, "I could use something for the pain," Dave whispered in a groggy voice as he struggled to move. "It kinda hurts to donate a kidney."

"Press the button near your right hand," Mark replied in a firm voice. "It's supposed to relieve the pain."

Dave sighed and fumbled around for the pain button for several seconds before finally dropping his hand back on the blanket so hard that he nearly knocked the clip off his index finger, "I…can't…find it," he whispered in a barely audible voice as he closed his eyes. "I'll fight through it while I sleep."

Mark sat there for a moment, unsure of how to react to Dave's obvious need for help with the pain button; he knew that Dave needed the medication, but couldn't find it because he was so groggy.

"You need the pain medication and Doctor Rasgotra said it was okay to take it," Mark finally replied in a gentle, yet firm tone as he quickly located the small button and eased it into Dave's hand. "Press down."

A small moan escaped Dave's lips as he clumsily pressed the button, "My hand's shaking," he whispered.

Mark frowned when he saw that Dave's hand was trembling ever so slightly, "Let me tuck it under the blanket," he said, gently grabbing Dave's hand and easing the button away from it. "All right?"

"Sure," Dave replied sleepily as he began to relax from the medication. "Thanks for being here."

Nodding, Mark quickly tucked Dave's hand under the blanket and then quietly watched as Dave slept.

* * *

><p>Surgical Waiting Room – County General Hospital<p>

"…The surgery went very well," Peter explained to Abby just as the digital clock in the corner of the waiting room switched to 0900 and Abby sat down to keep from shedding tears of relief. "The new kidney's functioning perfectly and John's already been awake; he's really happy about the kidney."

Abby nodded and fought hard to keep herself composed, as she didn't want to cry in front of Jack or her mother, who had brought Maggie to the hospital during the surgery, "Thank you," Abby whispered softly.

"You're welcome," Peter replied softly. "I gotta go, but a nurse will come get you when John's moved."

As Peter left, Abby smiled, stood up, and walked over to where Jack, her mother, and Maggie were sitting and talking, "John's going to be fine," she replied, surprised when Jack and her mother stood and hugged her. Abby immediately took Maggie from her mother as the hug wad finished and Maggie cooed happily.

"Nobody knows who this mysterious donor is, do they?" Abby asked after a moment of silence. "I'd sure like to meet them someday and thank them for what they've given to John and to me; I'm so happy."

Jack remained silent, however, as he didn't want to reveal his suspicion that Dave had donated the kidney to John, as that would force him to reveal much more than he wanted to. He hadn't expected Eleanor to show up to support John, but he was disappointed in how she was handling the situation.

* * *

><p>Mercy Hospital<p>

Neela sighed and sat in a padded chair in the surgeon's lounge; she was exhausted from participating in the donor surgery, but was relieved that Dave seemed to come through it. The brief complication had concerned her and she planned to mention it to Dr. Romano, as he was Dave's emergency contact.

Before she could make up her mind on what to do now that she was officially off duty for the next 12 hours, the door opened and Neela was surprised to see Michael walk in, "Michael," she said in an anxious voice as she jumped to her feet, ran over to him, and caught him in a loving embrace.

Michael sighed and gently stroked Neela's hair as he held her, "Kem went back to Africa to cover the shifts that Doctor Rogers was supposed to do before she went missing," Neela explained, remembering how forlorn Greg had looked when Kem had left a few days earlier. "Greg's going to join her next month."

"I'm not sure how much longer the clinic Doctor Rogers made will stay open," Michael replied softly as they pulled apart. "They were already talking of closing when I passed through there, so I don't know…"

Neela sighed as they left the surgeon's lounge, "Let's just spend some time together while you're still here, Michael," she said in a happy voice as they walked down the hallway. "I've missed you so much."

* * *

><p>"…Okay Grandpa, I won't visit him today," Luka heard a tired voice say as he opened the front door and came inside the foyer of the house. "I'm just doing schoolwork since Mom's playing with Joe and Katie…"<p>

Luka quietly closed the door, put the large bag he was carrying on the table, and took his coat off, briefly catching sight of the clock on the mantle above the small fireplace they had in their living room. So much time had passed since he had met with the doctor at the rehab center about Lucas and he had stopped by a drive-thru on the way home so that Amy wouldn't have to make anyone else lunch that day.

"...Luka's home, so I'd better go," Luka heard Nathan say. "All right…love you too, Grandpa. Bye."

There was a click and Luka picked up the bag. He heard footsteps, someone sit down, and the quiet clacking of keys as he moved towards the kitchen. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw a basket of breakfast foods on the counter and he also saw Nathan, who was now wearing jeans, socks, and an oversized sweatshirt, sitting at the kitchen table with his glasses on as he was focused on his laptop.

"Mom's in the playroom with Joe and Katie," Nathan spoke softly, not taking his eyes off of the screen.

Luka nodded and set the bag on the counter, "How are you feeling, Nathan?" he asked softly, concerned that Nathan wouldn't look at him. "You were asleep when I left this morning and I was worried…"

"Wow, it's already lunch time," Nathan said, suddenly noticing the time on the small clock on his screen.

Again, Luka nodded, "I brought some lunch from a drive-thru place," he replied gently. "Want a break?"

"Luka, I think I need to talk to someone," Nathan replied, suddenly looking up at him. "Like a counselor."

Luka silently took a seat at the table, "Uncle Dave's been suggesting it for a while now and this whole thing with Lucas is making me think about the stabbing and about Elton," Nathan explained as he removed his glasses and placed them on the table. "I don't want to be thought of as crazy…"

"After your little venture outside last night, your mother and I were talking this morning and we were going to suggest the same thing," Luka replied gently. "A person isn't crazy because they go to counseling."

Nathan nodded and sighed, "I just can't deal with Lucas anymore," he said in a distressed voice. "I visited him and he promised that he'd stop hanging out with Sarah, but then I saw him hanging out with her…"

"I know," Luka replied gently, seeing that Nathan was on the verge of crying. "Just take a deep breath."

Nathan did so and then sighed, "I'm really hungry now that I think of it," he said, composing himself.

"Here," Luka said as he opened the bag and handed Nathan a wrapped burger. "Take a break."

As Nathan unwrapped the burger and began to eat, Amy came into the kitchen, "Oh hi, honey," she said in a gentle voice as she smiled at Nathan before embracing Luka. "I want to know what the doctor had to say about Lucas, but we can talk later, okay?"

"Luka brought us lunch, Mom," Nathan replied as he swallowed a mouthful of burger. "Grandpa also called and he says that he's going to stay with Dave at Mercy so that Doctor Greene can go to work. He also says I can visit Dave tomorrow."

Amy nodded and took a wrapped burger from the bag, "Katie and Joe are watching cartoons, so I'll let them finish their show before I let them know it's lunch time," she said in a gentle voice. "Maybe we'll both visit Dave at Mercy tomorrow."

Nathan sighed and watched as his mother huddled close to Luka as she continued to eat. It was both surprising and relieving to see how gentle Luka was with his mother and with all of them; perhaps it would be okay for him to finally give trust to Luka.


	10. Remembering Yesterday, Surviving Today

_**Four Days Later**_

Ignoring the pangs of mild discomfort radiating from his abdomen, Dave sighed and gazed at the envelope on the bed that Dr. Romano had brought and opened for him after explaining it.

Two days ago, Dave thought, he had just barely been moved into a patient room and Dr. Romano had told him about Dr. Rogers going missing in Africa. Dave knew that he had handled the news well, but hadn't had time to process it because the antibiotics had made him feel nauseous and very sleepy.

Plus, even though he had told Dr. Romano he was fine, Dave was in serious pain from post-operative bruising and the actual incision. The only comforts at his fingertips now were the possessions that Magdalynn had somehow sent to him from Africa, but possessions didn't mean much to Dave at all.

A tear slipped down Dave's face as he fingered the opened envelope; he was too sore and exhausted to grab the envelope and have another look through it, but he couldn't bear falling back asleep and possibly missing Daniel's daily visit. Nathan had brought Daniel the day before for a short visit.

"Do you need a tissue box?" the voice of Dr. Romano asked as footsteps neared the open door.

Dave looked up and was surprised to see Dr. Romano standing there in casual clothes with a duffel bag in one hand and a paper sack in his prosthetic one, "Doctor Romano?" Dave asked in a tired voice.

"I brought you some clean clothes and stuff," Dr. Romano commented as he dropped the duffel bag in a chair close to the bed before sitting in another chair. "Have you been walking the halls yet, Dave?"

"No," Dave replied in a tired voice. "I'm not allowed out of bed because of the antibiotics I'm on…"

Dr. Romano scoffed, walked over to the phone, and dialed a few numbers, "Hello, this is Doctor Romano calling from Doctor Malucci's room," he said in a commanding voice. "I'd like a nurse and some scrub pants brought to this room immediately. I'm going to start Doctor Malucci on some walking. Goodbye."

Dave remained silent as Dr. Romano hung up the phone, "So, slugger, can you sit up on your own or do you need some help?" Dr. Romano asked as he walked over to the bed. "I know your body's still a mess right now because of the trauma surgery did to your body, but you're very stubborn and persistent."

"I think I can sit up," Dave replied, wincing as he forced himself into an upright position. "There."

Dr. Romano nodded as a frazzled looking nurse came into the room holding a pair of scrub pants in her hands, "Doctor Malucci is going to be going for a little walk and I don't want him to catch a chill," he explained in a no-nonsense voice. "Would you be so kind as to help him get those pants on, please?"

Even though the nurse wanted to protest, she nodded meekly, walked over to Dave's bedside, and put the guard rails down. She kept silent as Dave swung his legs over the side of the bed and she helped him to put on the pants underneath his hospital gown and over his socks before quickly moving away.

"Thank you," Dave replied quietly, wincing as he slowly stood up and quickly grabbed to the IV pole for support so that he wouldn't collapse even though his legs were shaking. "How far do I need to go?"

Dr. Romano sighed, "Once, maybe twice, down the hall and back," he replied calmly. "You can do it."

Swallowing hard, Dave leaned heavily on the IV pole for support as he walked over to the open door and was surprised when Dr. Romano took his arm and put it around his shoulder, "Slow steps, Dave," Dr. Romano said in a cautious voice as they began to move down the hallway. "If you hurt, let me know."

Dave, however, remained silent as he was helped down the hallway, "How's Carter?" he finally asked in a voice that indicated he was tired, anxious, and stressed about what he had done to help Carter.

"I don't know, actually," Dr. Romano replied in a gentle voice as he felt Dave tense up. "Breathe."

Dave shook his head and anxiously pulled away, immediately sagging against the wall as he struggled to keep tears from falling out of his tired eyes, "I just need a minute," he said in a barely audible voice.

Dr. Romano nodded and silently watched as Dave took several slow, deep breaths, "Malucci?" a deep, but very familiar voice asked as Dr. Romano looked up and saw Peter coming off the elevator.

Deeply afraid that Dr. Benton would go running to Carter about the transplant, Dave said nothing and lowered his head so that he wouldn't have to talk, "Peter, what are you doing at Mercy?" Dr. Romano asked in a confused voice as he looked at Peter curiously. "You do still have a job at County, right?"

"Since Doctor Rasgotra's working over at County today, Anspaugh told me that Mercy was short a surgeon today and sent me here," Peter explained, unnerved by how quiet Malucci was being.

Dr. Romano nodded and looked back at Dave, who wasn't saying anything, "Malucci, you all right?" Peter asked in a concerned voice, wondering why Malucci was so quiet. "Did I say something…?"

"No," Dave replied, quickly straightening up and forcing himself to look at Peter. "I'm all right."

Dr. Romano's eyes narrowed, but he nodded, "Did Nathan call you last night even after I told him that it wasn't a good idea?" he asked, sensing the reason for Dave's worry. "I figured he would."

"He did, but there's nothing I can do about that until I'm back at work," Dave replied stiffly. "I'm glad that Luka's there for him and that Amy's covering my shifts; it'll keep me from worrying too much."

Peter looked confused, "I'm going back to bed for a bit," Dave said in a tired voice. "I'm tired."

Dr. Romano nodded and kept silent as Dave silently turned and walked back towards his hospital room.

"Doctor Benton, if you're here to cover for Doctor Rasgotra, you should get on with your work," Dr. Romano spoke in a calm, but very firm voice. "I trust you won't go blabbing about what you've seen."

Peter shook his head and watched, mystified, as Dr. Romano walked back to Dave's hospital room.

* * *

><p>"<em>Nathan Romano?"<em>

_Nathan looked up from the floor and saw a legal clerk standing in front of him in a business suit, but giving him a reassuring smile, "Nathan, the judge is ready to see you now," she stated softly._

"_Come on, Nathan, it'll be all right," Luka, who was wearing a dark suit and tie, said in a comforting voice to try and get his eldest stepson to relax. "I'm going to be in there with you the whole time, okay?"_

_Nathan nodded and slowly got to his feet, "I feel like I'm gonna be sick," he murmured softly as he and Luka followed the clerk into a small courtroom where the judge was sitting at the pulpit, silently watching Kem and a nervous looking lawyer as they sat at one of the tables by themselves._

"_Ah, Nathan," the judge spoke in an official tone. "I'm glad that you could come so quickly."_

_Luka cleared his throat, "Your honor, I'd prefer if Nathan didn't have to speak today," he said in a concerned voice, worried that Elton would try something else to harm Nathan. "Does he have…?"_

"_Doctor Kovac, I assure you that whatever is said here will stay here," the judge replied calmly._

_Nathan swallowed hard to keep from getting sick as he and Luka walked over to the other table where a lawyer was sitting, "Where's Elton?" he asked in a nervous voice. "I thought he would be here."_

"_Mister Douglas is watching the hearing under guard from a secure room," the judge replied calmly as Nathan and Luka sat down. "It is of the opinion of Doctor Pratt that Elton's mental health…"_

_Kem sighed as she looked at Nathan, "Would you consider visiting your father and forgiving him?" she asked in a quiet voice, completely ignoring the judge. "He's very remorseful and wishes to…"_

"_Elton's not my father," Nathan interrupted in an anxious voice. "Luka's my father."_

_Luka's heart warmed considerably at that comment, but he said nothing, "I don't know who you are exactly, but Elton Douglas kidnapped Katie and tried to kill me," Nathan said in an anxious voice, sweat running down his face as he looked at Kem anxiously. "I don't want to see Elton ever again."_

"_Nathan, I've already cleared it with the judge," Kem replied coldly. "Your honor, may I request…?"_

_Nathan froze as the doors suddenly opened and he turned to see two armed guards leading a heavily shackled Elton, who was in prison garb, into the courtroom. Elton's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing._

_A wave of dizziness washed over Nathan, but he focused his mind on the phrases of empowerment that Dave had told him over the phone the night before as the officers ushered Elton over to where Kem and the lawyer were sitting. Elton didn't glance at Nathan, nor did he react to Luka's presence._

"_Okay, I'll get right to the point," the judge said in an exasperated tone. "Mister Douglas is pleading for release to a halfway house to begin parole and I wanted to know everyone's feelings on the matter."_

_Nathan shook his head and silently looked at the table, "Are you all right, Nathan?" Luka asked softly._

_The judge saw that Luka was talking to Nathan, but said nothing to either of them because Nathan clearly looked uncomfortable and Luka was a soothing presence for him, "Doctor Pratt, I have Mister Douglas's most recent progress report in front of me and I do not think that Mister Douglas is ready to be put in open custody yet," she said in a firm voice. "Once Mister Douglas is medically cleared by Doctor Banfield to leave Northwestern, I am remanding him to the custody of the corrections…"_

"_No!" Elton cried in a desperate, angry voice as he shot up in his chair. "I won't go back there! That little brat wants to see me rot in jail forever! I wish he had died when I jammed that knife into his stomach!"_

_Anxious, Elton shot across the courtroom with his hands outstretched to grab hold of Nathan, but Luka blocked Elton's access and Elton promptly punched Luka in the face. Elton started screaming profane words directed at Nathan as the officers quickly restrained him and dragged him out of the courtroom._

"_Luka, are you okay?" Nathan asked in a concerned voice as Kem rose and hurried out of the room._

"Nathan?"

Shivering anxiously, Nathan opened his eyes and saw Luka kneeling in front of him while their recently hired lawyer lingered near the closed door to the Judge's office. "Are you all right?" Luka asked in a concerned voice, seeing beads of sweat on Nathan's forehead. "The judge is waiting."

"Bad dream," Nathan replied in an anxious voice as he stood up and quickly straightened his suit so that it looked as clean as Luka's; he was embarrassed that he had fallen asleep at the courthouse.

Luka nodded and slowly stood up, "It's just going to be you, me, and the judge in the judge's office," he said in a comforting voice as they walked over to the freshly polished door. "Just stay calm, all right?"

Nathan nodded as they entered the judge's office and waved as the judge, who had straightened her hair and had switched to contact lenses, stood up behind her desk, "Nathan, Doctor Kovac, I apologize for the short notice," Judge Morenno said in an apologetic voice as they all sat down. "However, Mister Douglas's psychologist and his lawyer have requested than Nathan come visit Mister Douglas…"

"Absolutely not," Luka replied in a sharp voice, frowning as Nathan turned pale. "I forbid it."

Judge Morenno nodded, "Doctor Makemba Pratt and Mister Douglas's lawyer are trying to get Mister Douglas released to a halfway house from Northwestern Hospital, but the attending physician hasn't signed off on that request," she explained in a concerned voice. "Doctor Banfield is the attending physician and would like to speak with Nathan about whether or not that's advisable very soon…"

"Would I have to speak to this Doctor Banfield alone?" Nathan asked in a nervous voice.

Judge Morenno shook her head, "You're still considered a minor and you're welcome to have a parent or adult of your choice present with you when you speak to Doctor Banfield," she replied calmly. "She wants one of her own staff to be present and his name is Doctor Simon Brenner, a psychologist and…"

"Does Doctor Banfield think what happened to me was made up?" Nathan asked in a shocked voice.

Luka frowned as Nathan closed his eyes, "I think you'd better tell Doctor Banfield and Doctor Brenner that Nathan's not going to be up to talking to anyone anytime soon," he said firmly. "Nathan?"

"Doctor Kovac, perhaps we've spoken enough for today," the lawyer spoke up nervously, seeing that Nathan was on the verge of a breakdown. "Perhaps an alternate solution can be reached in this?"

Judge Morenno was silent and Luka quickly got up, helping Nathan to his feet, "Just call my house whenever you come to a solution," Luka said in an upset voice, wanting to get Nathan out of there before he threw up or passed out. "I'm taking Nathan home so he can unwind from this meeting."

Before Judge Morenno or the lawyer could reply, Luka led Nathan from the judge's chambers and down the hallway towards the exit doors, "Isn't this like contempt?" Nathan asked in a shaky voice.

"I'm not going to let you become sick over this, Nathan," Luka replied firmly. "I saw how sick you were getting in there and I'm sure that another solution can be found without you having to risk your health."

Nathan was quiet for a moment, "You really do care about me, don't you, Luka?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, Nathan, I do," Luka replied as he opened the door. "I hope you actually believe me this time."

Mystified by Luka's straightforwardness, Nathan silently allowed Luka to lead him out into the sun.

* * *

><p>"What?" Barbara Carter asked in a shocked voice as she stood on one side of the kitchen counter, giving her mother a shocked look that beat all shocked looks. "What do you mean you found him, Mom?"<p>

Jack, who was leaning against the fridge with a glass of water in hand, scoffed as Eleanor, who was sitting at the counter with a martini in hand, sighed, "Dave lives here in Chicago and he works at the same hospital where John worked before he went off to Africa and got sick," Eleanor explained in a distressed voice, her eyes filling with tears as she took a drink. "He's such a handsome young man."

"Why did you even give Dave up in the first place?!" Barbara snapped, hints of anger in her voice.

Eleanor sniffled and took another drink, "John just came home this morning and your shouting will wake him up, Barbara," she replied in a cold voice, glaring at her daughter. "I made my choice years ago…"

"Don't give me that garbage that it was for personal reasons, Eleanor," Jack spoke up in an irritated voice, frustrated with Eleanor's inability to admit her true reason for her choice. "Millicent and I were both very willing to welcome Dave into the family, but you didn't want a reminder of Bobby around."

Eleanor's lip quivered, but she said nothing because it was at that moment that Abby, who was wearing a pair of scrubs and slippers, came into the kitchen with Maggie, who was wearing a flower-patterned sleeper, in her arms, "Abby, hello," Jack replied pleasantly as he moved away from the refrigerator.

"Hi," Abby replied nervously, suddenly noticing that Barbara was there. "You must be John's sister."

Barbara nodded as Abby walked over to the fridge, "Maggie woke up hungry and John's having such a good sleep," Abby commented, not wanting to comment on the raised voices she had heard as she was bringing Maggie to the kitchen for breakfast. "I hope that John wasn't released too early, but he…"

"Johnny's very stubborn," Barbara commented in an amused voice. "I brought baby food for Maggie."

Abby chuckled, seeing the jars of baby food in the fridge, "You didn't have to do that, but thank you," she replied in an amused voice as Maggie cooed and yawned. "Could you hold her for a moment?"

Barbara nodded and took Maggie so that Abby could get the baby food and prepare it, "We shouldn't even be having this discussion now," Eleanor snapped anxiously. "What's done has been done."

"Mother, you'll never change!" Barbara snapped as she bounced Maggie. "You're so selfish!"

Barbara sniffled and took another drink as she got up and stumbled from the kitchen with tears streaming down her face, "What just happened?" Abby asked in a confused voice. "Was it me?"

"Don't worry about it," Jack replied in a calming voice as he left the room to keep an eye on Eleanor to make sure that she didn't go upstairs and bother John while he was resting. "Everything's fine."

* * *

><p>Everything, however, was not fine at Mercy and Dave found himself in street clothes and struggling to pack his things because he was in pain. He had been in the middle of a nap when a doctor by the name of Archie Morris had barged in and declared him ready for discharge. Once Dr. Morris had left, Dave had painstakingly gotten himself out of bed, slowly dressed, and was now packing up his personal things.<p>

Unable to stand any longer, Dave sat down and winced as he reached for the phone and dialed several numbers, leaving messages at each one before hanging up, "So, Doctor Malucci, are you all ready to go?" Morris asked in an unusually cheery voice as he came back into the room holding a filled chart.

Dave frowned, as Morris smelled rather odd for a doctor who was supposed to be on duty, almost as if he was slightly high on something, "Just sign here and you're good to go," Morris said in a cheerful voice as he offered the chart to Dave, giggling as the pen fell off the chart and clattered to the floor. "Oops."

"Do you work on this floor, Doctor Morris?" Dave asked in an uneasy voice as he picked up the pen.

Morris nodded, "I'm on a rotation right now and I have a lot of stuff to do, so if you could just sign that chart, that would be really cool," he replied in an anxious voice. "You seem healthy enough to go home."

"What about my IV's?" Dave asked in a concerned voice. "I'm still on antibiotics…"

Morris scoffed and deeply intimidated, Dave reluctantly signed the chart and returned it, "Right, so just leave whenever you want and go to a doctor if you're in pain," Morris said in an anxious voice as he tore a paper off the top of the chart and thrust it at Dave before he tucked the chart loosely under his arm and left the room with a sway in his step. "Have a pleasant day!"

Swallowing hard, Dave silently gripped the IV pole and stood up just long enough to grab his packed bag before he slowly moved out into the hallway, "Hey Dave, where are you going?" he suddenly heard Dr. Pratt ask in a concerned voice as footsteps approached from behind. "I was just coming to visit you."

"Doctor Morris discharged me," Dave replied anxiously as he turned to face Pratt. "He gave me this."

Dr. Pratt frowned as he took the paper from Dave and read it, "This doesn't seem right," he replied in a concerned voice, worried about the pain he could see in Dave's face. "He didn't take your IV's out?"

"Don't worry about it," Dave replied nervously, not wanting to create any waves at the hospital. "I'll keep them in until they run dry and pull them out later. I don't want to cause any trouble here."

Dr. Pratt sighed and spotted an empty wheelchair nearby, "At least let me wheel you out and make sure you get home without hurting yourself, Dave," he said in a worried voice. "Is anyone staying with you?"

"Daniel's staying with a colleague of mine named Doctor Greene and his family," Dave replied in an anxious voice as he slowly walked over to the wheelchair and sat down. "Aren't you working, Greg?"

Dr. Pratt scoffed as he moved the IV bags from the pole to the wheelchair hooks, "I'm on rotation with Morris, but I'll get you taken care of before I report him to our supervisor," he explained in a concerned voice as Dave set his bag on his lap and placed a hand on his abdomen. "It was gonna be a week, right?"

"Because of complications during the surgery, yeah," Dave replied in an uneasy voice. "I guess it's not…"

Swallowing hard, Dave went quiet and remained that way during the journey downstairs to the well-kept foyer, "Is there anyone you want me to call?" Dr. Pratt asked softly, his face screwing up in disgust at seeing Morris standing just beside the door with his phone out. "A taxi might be a bit rough on you."

Horrified that his colleagues would think he was being irresponsible, Dave shook his head and looked at the floor while silently huddling into a ball as much as he could, "How about I call Doctor Romano and see what he has to say?" Dr. Pratt asked in a concerned voice. "I know you trust him the most."

"Yeah," Dave replied in a voice that was barely above a whisper because he was very self-conscious.

* * *

><p>"So, you're going to a higher level program?" Sarah asked softly as she poked her head into Lucas's room and saw him packing his suitcase. "What, did your crazy stepdad say I was a bad influence?"<p>

Lucas sighed and quietly continued packing as Sarah entered the room, "You're not supposed to be in here, Sarah," he finally said in a quivering voice as she got closer to him. "It's against the rules."

"It's the stupid rules that keeps Ray from being able to visit me in here," Sarah replied in a disgusted voice, quickly backing off. "You used to be so willing to help Ray and I out; what happened to you?"

Lucas scoffed, "I'm tired of fighting and I don't like being forced to do stuff I don't want to do," he replied just as a worker came into the room. "If you want Ray so badly, go and find him yourself."

"Sarah, you're not supposed to be in here," the worker said in a concerned voice. "Lucas…"

Lucas scoffed and slammed his suitcase shut, "I just want to go home and be with my family again!" he snapped in an irritated voice, tired of being in the rehab center. "I don't like drugs anymore!"

Sarah looked shocked at Lucas's outburst, but the worker nodded calmly, as she had been warned by Luka that Lucas might try to manipulate people with emotional outbursts, "Just finish your packing and Dr. Gallant will escort you to the floor where you'll begin your new treatment," she replied calmly.

"Who's Doctor Gallant?" Lucas asked softly, as Dr. Gallant came into the room. "He's really big."

Dr. Gallant chuckled and put his hands in the pockets of the lab coat he was wearing over the dress shirt and pants he was wearing, "I'm Doctor Michael Gallant and I'm working here for a while," he replied in a gentle voice, pointedly ignoring Sarah since Lucas was his patient. "Are you all packed and ready to go?"

Unbeknownst to Lucas, Sarah, Dr. Gallant, or the worker, Victor Clemente, who had come to check on Lucas at Elton's rather forceful request, was in a janitor's disguise and had silently observed the entire exchange. He was surprised to see that Dave wasn't there and secretly wondered where Dave was.

* * *

><p>"You have GOT to be kidding me," Elton hissed in an angry voice as he held the phone to his ear while laying in the bed where he had been confined for much too long. "Doctor Gallant is helping Lucas?"<p>

Anger filled Elton's entire mind as Victor explained what he had seen and heard and that Lucas would still be at the center, but under Dr. Gallant's supervision. Elton had to hide his anger quickly, however, as Kem came into the room with a nurse, "I'll talk to you later," he said softly before hanging up the phone.

"Mister Douglas, how are you feeling?" Kem asked softly, pleased to see that Elton had used the phone.

Elton sighed, "Very tired, Doctor Kem," he replied in what he hoped was a tired voice. "How are you?"

"Slightly unsettled," Kem replied in a somber voice as she approached the bed. "I don't want you to stress out, but I got a call from a Judge Morenno and you'll have to stay here a while longer."

Elton frowned, "Why?" he asked in a slightly terrified voice that made Kem and the nurse cringe.

"There are some complications," Kem replied calmly just as her phone suddenly buzzed. "Excuse me."

Elton nodded and kept quiet as Kem moved out of the small hospital room and answered her cell phone while the nurse silently went about checking his vitals, "…What are you doing that will make you late for dinner, Greg?" he heard Kem ask in a concerned voice. "…Oh, you're helping Doctor Malucci get home?"

Intrigued at the mention of Dave, Elton silently kept quiet while Kem finished her call and returned to the room, "I'm sorry about that, Mister Douglas," Kem spoke in a soothing voice. "It was my husband."

"Doctor…Pratt, right?" Elton asked in a confused voice, purposely acting like he couldn't remember.

Kem nodded and smiled, "Now, would you like to go for a bit of a walk up and down the hallway?" she asked, a little annoyed that Greg wasn't spending time with her like he had promised. "It'll be fun."

For a moment, Elton was quiet and thinking about how he could use his child like behavior to try and get free of the legal system enough to do what he wanted and then he nodded, "Okay," he replied softly.

* * *

><p>Amy smiled as she watched Katie and Joe work on a puzzle in the middle of the living room floor while several pieces were scattered nearby, "Joe's really smart, Mommy," Katie piped up, smiling as Joe put a correct piece into the puzzle. "How come Daddy Luka had Joe by himself when you married him?"<p>

Swallowing hard, Amy briefly thought of Abby and how happy she seemed with Carter and Maggie to hold her up, which also made her think of how generous Dave had been to help save Carter's life. She had visited Dave several times with Nathan and Daniel, but she also hoped to visit him later that day.

"Mommy?" Katie asked, noticing that Amy was suddenly not listening. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Suddenly feeling gentle kicks on her abdomen, Amy smiled and gently massaged it, "Nothing's wrong, my sweet Katie," she replied gently as she walked closer to them. "Are you two getting hungry?"

"Food," Joe spoke up in a happy voice as he gazed up at Amy and smiled. "Me eat food?"

Amy chuckled as Joe dropped the pieces he was holding and awkwardly got to his feet, nearly tripping over the colorful socks that he was wearing, "Mama," Joe spoke as he held his hands up to Amy.

Before Amy could reply, the front door opened, "Amy, Katie, Joe, we're home!" she heard Luka say in a loud, but pleasant voice as footsteps entered the house and the door was promptly closed and locked.

There was silence and whispering, "…Yes, go upstairs and have a rest," Amy heard Luka say softly.

As footsteps made their way up the stairs, Luka came into the living room loosening his tie and gently put his arms around Amy, forgetting about the tie, "Nathan went upstairs to rest," Luka whispered in his pregnant wife's ear as he held her. "The meeting with the judge was very hard on him emotionally."

"Dada food," Joe spoke up, suddenly noticing that Luka was standing there. "Food, food, food!"

Amy smiled as Luka released her, "If you can take care of getting Katie and Joe something to eat, I'll check on Nathan," she said in a gentle voice, turning to face him. "Thank you for taking him today."

"Nathan is also one of my children," Luka replied calmly, giving Amy a gentle kiss on the lips.

Grateful that Luka was everything she could ever want in a husband and father to their blended family, Amy chuckled and slowly went upstairs. She didn't go very far down the hallway and spotted Nathan in the bathroom with his jacket off and his hands over his abdomen while he looked into the mirror.

"Nathan?" Amy asked in a concerned voice as she gently knocked on the door. "Are you all right?"

Nathan didn't respond for a moment and then he sighed before coming out of the bathroom, "I keep thinking about Elton abusing me and it makes me feel sick," he replied softly. "I just can't forget it."

Amy sighed and gently put her arms around Nathan, "You've been such a brave boy your whole life, Nathan," she replied, tears coming to her eyes as she remembered the many times that Nathan would stand up for her against Elton only to end up being beaten to a pulp himself. "I'm so sorry…"

"Mom, you're a great mother," Nathan whispered through his tears. "You've got Luka to help you."

Amy sighed and gently mussed Nathan's hair as she released him, "Just because Luka and Joe are now part of our family, it doesn't mean I love you or your siblings any less," she replied gently. "Okay?"

"What about Lucas, Mom?" Nathan asked in a worried voice. "Do you think he'll ever come home?"

Amy smiled sadly, "Honey, I'm not sure if he wants to, but all we can do is hope that he'll eventually realize that we all love him and want him to come home," she replied gently. "Now, I think a rest would do you some good before you work tonight, so I want you to go lie down and I'll bring you up a little lunch. I'll be working this evening and so will you, so I'll come get you when it's time to go, all right?"

Nathan nodded and silently walked down the hallway to his bedroom just as Katie came running up the stairs with the cordless phone in her hand, "Mommy, Grandpa Rocket's on the phone," she said softly.

Amy nodded and took the phone, "Dad, hello," she said in a pleasant voice, her calm demeanor immediately turning to one of concern and shock when she heard her father say that some incompetent doctor at Mercy had discharged Dave three days early and that someone was helping him get home, but that she should go to work that evening and not worry because he was going to take care of the matter.

"I'll be phoning Dave from work," Amy replied in a firm voice that she hoped got her message across.

Her father murmured an 'okay', sent his love, and hung up, "Katie, why don't we go downstairs and help Daddy Luka and Joe with lunch?" Amy suggested gently as she hung up the phone and took Katie's hand.

* * *

><p>Dave groaned softly, tenderly caressing his aching abdomen as he walked into his apartment with Greg not far behind, "I need to call Doctor Greene at some point to make sure that he can let Daniel stay over there for a few more days so I can get some rest," he said in a tired voice. "I just need the phone."<p>

Greg scoffed as he closed the door and helped Dave remove his outdoor jacket, "Just go lie down and I'll take care of it," he replied firmly, trying to figure out how he would explain Morris's neglectful attitude to Dr. Banfield when they finally got to have a conversation. "I'll even make a cold pack for you."

"Thanks," Dave replied in a tired voice as he walked towards his bedroom. "They're in the freezer."

As Dave disappeared into his small bedroom, Greg silently opened Dave's fridge and freezer and found them nearly empty except for a couple of cool packs in the freezer. There was also a calendar and note on the fridge that Dave had written to himself as a reminder to go shopping before Daniel came home.

Letting out a sigh, Greg got the cool packs out and wrapped them in towels that were hanging on the oven door before he took them to Dave's bedroom, "Here are your cold packs," he said in a gentle voice, frowning when Dave took them and put them under his blanket. "You've got almost no food…"

There was a silence and Greg chuckled when he realized that Dave had fallen asleep holding the wrapped cold packs against his abdomen. Not wanting to wake Dave up, Greg silently left the room and returned to the kitchen, intending to phone Dr. Romano and tell him that Dave needed groceries.

* * *

><p>"What did you call an ER senior staff meeting for, Robert?" Kerry asked in a confused voice as she came into the lounge and saw Mark and Dr. Romano sitting at the table. "Tony and Ray are just coming in…"<p>

Dr. Romano scoffed, "Ray Barnett doesn't need someone holding his hand every step of his shifts as long as the nurses watch him around minors," he replied crossly. "And Tony is fine starting charts himself."

Kerry nodded and joined Mark and Dr. Romano at the table, "It seems that an incompetent twit named Archie Morris at Mercy saw fit to discharge Doctor Malucci three days earlier than was scheduled," Dr. Romano explained in an upset voice. "Fortunately for Doctor Malucci, Doctor Pratt was kind enough to give him a ride home and told me that he suspected that Doctor Morris was high on something at the time he discharged Doctor Malucci, as Doctor Malucci described Morris's behavior as disturbing."

"What's your point, Robert?" Kerry asked in a concerned voice, suddenly worried about Dave.

Dr. Romano's eyes widened slightly and he looked unusually somber, "Doctor Pratt discovered that Doctor Malucci is low on food and can't go get it himself because he's sound asleep in bed due to abdominal discomfort," he replied somberly. "Now, seeing as I'm on tonight and get the pleasure of babysitting Ray to make sure he doesn't do anything inappropriate, I can't go help him myself."

"I didn't know you were on tonight, Robert?" Kerry asked in a confused voice, frowning at him.

Dr. Romano sighed, "Amy and Nathan are both working in the ER tonight and I'm staying not just to babysit Ray, but also to make sure that my daughter and eldest grandson have nothing happen to them during their shifts," he replied sharply. "You can call it overprotective, but I don't really care. Anyway…"

Mark and Kerry exchanged a look, "Daniel doesn't know that his father is home already, but I'm sure you and Doctor Corday can explain to Daniel that his father needs a little extra rest," Dr. Romano continued, annoyed that neither one was volunteering to help Dave out. "Don't make me draft one of you."

"I think Dave is still a little nervous around me, Robert," Kerry replied nervously, remembering that her past treatment of Dave had made him nervous around her. "I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

Dr. Romano sighed, "Dave is uncomfortable here period, Kerry, but he's getting more comfortable very slowly" he replied calmly. "If you want to help him, go ahead; I'll give you a pass on working tonight."

"I'll help Doctor Malucci out, but not because of the pass," Kerry replied softly. "Does he need meds?"

Dr. Romano nodded and held up a bag, "Fluids, antibiotics, and meds for pain," he replied in an official voice as he handed Kerry the bag. "It seems Doctor Morris didn't give out any discharge instructions."

"He still lives at Luka's old place, right?" Kerry asked in a concerned voice. "I'll go by the Jumbo Mart."

Dr. Romano looked pleased, "Good to see that you're a team player," he replied in a relieved voice, hoping that Dave wouldn't be uncomfortable with Kerry at his home. "Doctor Greene, let's go work."

Kerry silently left the lounge, silently hoping that she could atone for the past by helping Dave now.

* * *

><p>A nap hadn't helped, Eleanor thought bitterly as she made her way into an unused, dusty room in the mansion and over to the trunk where she had put Dave's birth certificate, clothes, and the toys he had been given by Jack and Millicent at birth. He had kept for six weeks before he was given to his father.<p>

Sniffling, Eleanor knelt down and opened the trunk, smiling as she carefully removed the legal documents, pictures, and Dave's baby things from the trunk and set them on the floor. She froze when she heard footsteps, as nobody ever used the part of the mansion that held too much of the past.

Eleanor froze as she suddenly heard footsteps and voices, "…You're doing really well, John," she heard Abby say in an encouraging voice. "I'm glad Barbara could look after Maggie so I could help you…"

Swallowing hard, Eleanor silently took off her jacket and threw it over the items before standing up and moving to a darker corner of the room where Dave's covered crib still sat, covered in dust and hidden away from anyone who didn't know what happened. John and Abby passed by the room in silence.

Unfortunately, it was at that moment that Eleanor found herself sneezing from the dust on the crib and that quickly brought John and Abby into the room, "Mom, what are you doing in here?" John, who was wearing a loose shirt, sweats, and slippers, asked in a tired voice as Abby gently held on to him.

"I was just wanting to be alone," Eleanor lied anxiously. "What are you and Abby doing down here?"

John sighed tiredly, "I wanted to do some walking, but I didn't want to try stairs yet," he replied tiredly.

Eleanor nodded and it was then that Abby and John noticed the mess on the floor, "Mom, what are you looking at?" John asked, frustrated that he couldn't bend down just yet. "Can we help you clean it up?"

"John, you should be resting," Eleanor replied anxiously, not wanting John to see Dave's information.

John sighed and was about to say that he was fine when he caught Abby's expression, "Why don't you start walking back to our room and I'll join you for some alone time in a minute?" Abby suggested gently, seeing that Eleanor was both drunk and very anxious about something. "Just take it slow."

Even though John wanted to stay and see what was going on, he nodded and slowly left the room, "Let me help you," Abby offered gently as she walked over and picked Eleanor's jacket up off the floor, revealing the baby clothes, documents, and toys. "Oh, you must have been looking at Bobby's things."

"Don't mention Bobby to me, Abby," Eleanor hissed anxiously. "He's the reason I gave my baby up."

Abby frowned, "Your baby?" she asked in a confused voice, wondering if Eleanor was hallucinating.

"I tried hard to raise him, but I couldn't get past six weeks," Eleanor replied in an anxious voice, suddenly beginning to feel woozy from being so anxious. "I gave him to his father to take care of."

Abby's eyes widened as Eleanor gasped and silently speedwalked out of the room with a hand massaging her forehead in an attempt to rid herself of her sudden headache. Even though Abby wanted to look at the documents, she silently gathered the documents up and returned them to the trunk before she put the toys and clothes away, ignoring the nagging feeling that was in her curious mind.

* * *

><p>As Dave returned to awareness, he suddenly felt something in his hand and a quick glance at his hand told him that there was an IV in his hand and the bag was on the bedside table. Swallowing hard, Dave slowly got out of bed with the cold packs in one hand and the IV bag in the other and it was then that he heard noise in the kitchen. Worried that someone had broken in, Dave grabbed his bat from the closet.<p>

When Dave went out of his room, however, he suddenly found himself getting lightheaded and he quickly sank down against the wall, releasing the bat, cold packs, and IV bags. There was a gasp, footsteps, and Dave tensed up as he felt a warm hand suddenly touch his forehead and face.

Fully expecting to have a gun pointed at him, Dave opened his eyes and was surprised to see Kerry kneeling in front of him, "Are you all right, Doctor Malucci?" Kerry asked in a concerned voice.

Dave nodded and shakily got to his feet, only taking the IV bag with him, "I just felt a little lightheaded, Chief," he replied nervously, ignoring the mess on the floor. "I woke up with an IV in my hand…"

"Jeanie was over for a bit because I needed help getting the groceries in, but she had to go work at her clinic," Kerry explained in a concerned voice. "She also started the IV since I was making dinner."

Dave silently inched along the wall and was surprised to see a few pots on the stove with things cooking in them while the table was set for two, but he also felt tired and eyed the couch with hope of rest.

"Did Doctor Pratt go back to work?" Dave asked in a groggy voice as he walked to the table and sat in one of the chairs that Luka had left in the apartment when he, Amy, and the kids had moved away.

Kerry nodded and frowned as Dave immediately propped his elbows up on the table and allowed his head to rest on his hands, "I'm still feeling a little icky," Dave said in a groggy, apologetic voice.

"I made some stew that should help," Kerry replied calmly. "Just relax and I'll serve you some."

Too exhausted and groggy to argue, Dave nodded and Kerry silently returned to the stove, "Don't you need to get home to Henry?" he asked in a tired voice as he picked up his glass and sipped some water.

"Henry's being taken care of," Kerry replied calmly. "You shouldn't be alone right now, Dave."

Dave sighed, "It's not my fault that I am," he replied groggily. "I never asked to be discharged early."

As Kerry silently finished preparing the supper, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for Dave and everything that he had gone through. To her, nobody should have to endure that much trouble and it was heartbreaking that Dave had endured all of it.

* * *

><p>"Excuse me, I'm looking for a doctor," Sam heard a male voice say as footsteps approached the cage.<p>

Sam looked up and was confused to see Luka standing there in a dress shirt, tie, slacks, and shoes with a bag on his arm while Katie and Erinn, who was holding Joe, stood beside him, "Doctor Kovac, is everything all right?" she asked in a confused voice, frowning when Alex suddenly came inside.

"Mom, you forgot to pick me up after school, so Erinn lied and said that you had arranged for Erinn's parents to pick me up," Alex announced as he came over to the cage. "I've been at Erinn's house."

Sam scoffed, "Alex, you're supposed to tell me when you go someplace," she replied, thinking how fortunate it had been that Luka and Amy had gone along with the idea. "Thank you, Doctor Kovac…"

Just then, Mark came out of the lounge with Daniel and Ella at his heels, both of whom were holding glittery homemade cards while their backpacks rested on their backs, "Daniel, we miss you at the school!" Alex called out, prompting a smile and wave from Daniel before he left with Mark and Ella.

"Well, Doctor Kovac, it's a surprise to see you here at this time of day," Amy said in a surprised voice as she suddenly came up to the cage, revealing that Nathan and Frank were working at the desk together.

Luka smiled and held up the bag, "I brought you and Nathan some supper leftovers," he replied in a pleasant voice, smiling as Amy opened the door so he, Erinn, Katie, Alex, and Joe could come in.

As Amy took the bag from Luka, she gently planted a kiss on his lips and then carried the bag over to the desk, "Thank you, darling," she replied in a loving voice. "You're so good to take care of all of us."

"I want to take care of all of you, my love," Luka replied gently. "Nathan, do you want some supper?"

Nathan nodded and silently looked into the bag, unaware that Dr. Romano was watching from a nearby exam area while practicing his sutures on a pig's foot, "Thank you," he replied in a quiet, awed voice.

"You're welcome, son," Luka replied gently before turning his attention to Erinn, Katie, and Joe, "Well, I think we should be getting home so that homework can be finished before bedtime. Say goodnight."

Amy smiled as Erinn, Katie, and Joe all gave her and Nathan kisses and hugs before they left the ER with Luka through the cage door, which Sam closed again promptly after, "Alex, I brought some food to work and it's in the lounge fridge," Sam said in a motherly voice. "Check your blood sugar and then eat."

Alex nodded and took off running to the lounge and Sam silently returned to the small stack of mail she had been reading that included a letter from her imprisoned ex-husband that said he could be up for parole soon and she was worried that he would want to come and be a part of her and Alex's life. In her eyes, Steve hadn't changed and would hurt both her and Alex badly.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please read and leave reviews!<em>**


	11. Impulsive Decisons and Developments

_**June**_

Shaking anxiously, Sam brushed her hair out of her face and gently squeezed Alex's hand as she led him off the elevator and into the ER. It was quiet and fortunately for them, not many staff were around at the late hour; it would be hard for them to explain why they had bags with them in any case.

Not wanting anyone to notice them, Sam silently ushered Alex into a dark Exam Room, "It's still early, so you can get a little more sleep before school," she said in an anxious voice as she helped Alex find the gurney and helped him on to it. "I know your chest hurts and I'll try and get you something, okay?"

"Mommy, don't leave me," Alex said in an anxious voice. "What if Dad tries to follow us here?"

Sam sighed and sat on the gurney, gently pulling Alex into her arms, "Your dad was passed out drunk when we left, so I think it will take him a few hours to realize we're gone," she replied, gently stroking her son's hair to calm him and pointedly ignoring how much her own face hurt from being hit hard.

Alex nodded silently and pulled away so he could lie down on the bed, "Just try and sleep, Alex," Sam said in an anxious voice as she stood up. "I'll get you something from the supplies and come back."

Swallowing hard, Sam silently left the Exam Room and tiptoed to the drug lockup, being extra careful to not make any noise as she unlocked the cabinet with her keys. What Sam didn't see, however, was Amy coming down the hallway from the desk in scrubs with a small stack of charts in her large hands.

"Nurse Taggart, I didn't think you'd be here this early," Amy commented softly. "It's a school day, right?"

Sam nodded and said nothing as she opened the drug lockup, "I actually brought Alex with me and I'll take him to school when it's closer to the time," she replied, ignoring the trembling in her voice.

"Are you all right?" Amy asked in a concerned voice, immediately hearing trembling in Sam's voice.

Sam sighed, "My ex-husband got out on parole a few days ago and he found out where Alex and I are living," she explained, lowering her head. "Steve can get violent when he's had a lot to drink…"

"Where's Alex?" Amy asked in a concerned voice, her heart sinking. "How badly is Alex hurt, Sam?"

Closing the drug lockup, Sam came around and Amy gasped at seeing the bruises on her face, "Exam One," Sam replied in a quiet, trembling voice. "Steve's passed out and I packed some stuff up…"

Amy nodded and walked to Exam One, frowning as Sam followed silently behind her, "Alex, it's Doctor Kovac," she said in a gentle voice as she entered the room. "Your mom's with me. Can I see you?"

There was a tired sigh, a click, and light filled the room and revealed a tired looking Alex sitting on the gurney in street clothes with a hand on his chest, "Hey there, Alex," Amy said in a gentle voice as she walked over to the gurney. "Your mom said that you were hurt. Can I have a look at you, please?"

Alex nodded and removed his jacket, revealing a badly bruised torso, "It hurt Alex too much to try and put his shirt on," Sam explained softly as Amy set the jacket aside. "I just made sure he was warm."

"I did that from time to time back when I was in an abusive marriage and I had to get my children medical attention," Amy explained gently as she gently touched each of the bruises. "Does that hurt?"

Alex nodded and stuck his lower lip out, "You had a husband before Doctor Kovac?" Sam asked softly, surprised at how calm Amy was for having been in an abusive relationship. "You seem so calm."

"Elton's in the jail ward at Northwestern right now and we've been divorced for years," Amy replied gently, not taking her eyes off Alex. "Alex, I think you'll need some x-rays. Would that be all right?"

Alex blinked, "Can I eat first?" he asked softly in a trembling voice. "Or is it too early to eat?"

"Alex is a diabetic," Sam spoke up as she gently stroked Alex's hair. "I brought his diabetes stuff."

Amy nodded, "Well, Nurse Taggart, how about I order x-rays from in here while you help Alex with checking his blood sugar and his insulin?" she suggested gently, her heart going out to the situation that Sam and Alex were in as she had also been there. "I promise I won't leave you two alone in the room."

"Thank you, Doctor Kovac," Sam replied nervously, putting Alex's diabetes backpack on the bed.

As she walked over to the phone, Amy smiled, "Call me Amy," she replied in a comforting voice.

* * *

><p>"I've been thinking about taking Kerry up on her offer to help me look for a job," Carter commented softly as he slowly followed Abby into the kitchen and joined her at the table where Maggie was already waiting in her highchair to be fed. "She called last night while you were putting Maggie to bed."<p>

Abby nodded as she opened the jar of baby food that was on the high chair's tray, "Maybe you could try working at County on per diem shifts until you can find something more permanent?" she suggested gently, wondering if her husband was ready to go back to work. "I know they've got a full staff…"

"Malucci's still there and he honestly needs the money more than I do," Carter replied in a concerned voice, smiling as he watched Abby feed Maggie. "It wouldn't be right for me to go ask for shifts when there are people working who really need the money from them. I just need something to do."

Before Abby could reply, the kitchen door opened and Eleanor came into the kitchen in pajamas, slippers, and a robe with her hair done up in a bun, "Ah. Abby, John, I'm glad you're both here," she said in a shaky voice as she sat next to Abby, her breath smelling of alcohol. "I need to talk to both of you."

"Okay," Abby replied calmly, continuing to feed Maggie because she figured it wasn't for her ears.

Carter looked at Eleanor and noticed that she had tears in her eyes, "I-I had an affair when you were younger, John, and it's bothered me ever since," Eleanor explained in a trembling voice, regretting that she hadn't had another cup of brandy to calm her nerves before coming downstairs. "Your father and grandparents knew about it, but they were willing to forgive it until I took matters into my own hands."

"You had an affair, Mom?" Carter asked in a shocked voice. "Who did you have the affair with?"

Eleanor swallowed hard and hiccoughed, "A baby was produced as a result of my affair and I tried my best to take care of him because your father and grandparents were determined to accept it as part of the family," she explained anxiously. "I just couldn't keep the baby because it reminded me too much of Bobby and it was hard enough dealing with you after your brother died. I couldn't have another…"

"So I have a half-sibling somewhere?" Carter asked in a shocked voice. "Do you know who it is?"

Eleanor trembled, "I do," she replied softly. "I-I met him a while back at County when I was there."

"My half-brother works at County?" Carter asked in a shocked voice. "Mom, who is he?"

Eleanor sighed, "I had the affair with a man named Tony Malucci and I only kept our son, Dave, for six weeks before I gave him to his father to raise," she explained, ignoring the fact that tears were running down her face. "Your grandparents and Barbara didn't speak to me for a long time after that?"

"Dave Malucci is my half-brother, Mom?" John asked in a shocked voice. "Is this a joke?"

Overwhelmed by her confession and the liquor, Eleanor broke down sobbing and John's eyes widened in shock, "The nursery where Dave slept is upstairs and the papers are all there," she sobbed anxiously.

"I'll be back in a little bit," John replied, shooting out of his chair and hurrying out of the room.

Abby's eyes were wide as she continued to watch Maggie and feed Eleanor sob her heart out; she didn't know if it was true or not, but it was obvious that both John and Dave had no idea about it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Downtown Courthouse<strong>_

"All rise for the honorable Judge Morenno," an officer announced as Judge Morenno came out of her office and sat behind the stand, giving Luka, Nathan, and Nathan's lawyer a glance as she sat.

There was a heavy silence as a side door opened and two heavily armed guards led Elton, who was in a jumpsuit with his leg in a walking cast while his hands were shackled, over to a table and sat him next to a well-dressed man and an anxious looking Kem. Nathan trembled anxiously, but didn't say anything.

"Please be seated everyone," Judge Morenno stated calmly, waiting as everyone took a seat. "We're here in this closed hearing today to discuss the proposition made by a Doctor Makemba Pratt. That proposition is that Mister Elton Douglas, currently a resident of the jail ward at Northwestern Hospital, be moved to a secure halfway house to finish out the sentence imposed on him for the attempted murder of Nathan Romano-Kovac and the international kidnapping of Katie Romano-Kovac."

Judge Morenno looked at the lawyer sitting next to Luka and Nathan, "Mister Tessoro, I understand that your client is reluctant to speak with Dr. Simon Brenner about the experience?" she asked sternly.

"Your Honor, young Mister Romano-Kovac had sessions with a psychiatrist from County, a Doctor Meyers, during his recovery time and the incident and aftermath has been documented in great detail," Mr. Tesoro explained in a calm voice. "To make Mister Romano-Kovac endure further sessions concerning this matter would only inhibit his psychological and emotional recovery. I have the notes from Mister Romano-Kovac's sessions with Doctor Meyers in my possession if you wish to…"

"Please," Judge Morenno said, holding out her hand. "That information will be useful."

As Mr. Tesoro brought the file up to Judge Morenno, Elton narrowed his eyes and clasped his hands together as if he were planning something. Nathan looked silently at the table, but said nothing.

"Doctor Pratt, why do you think a halfway house would be the best place for Mister Douglas to finish his sentence rather than back at the correctional facility?" Judge Morenno asked sternly, gazing at Kem.

Kem sighed, "Your Honor, I believe that Mister Douglas is showing considerable improvement and placing him back in the correctional facility would be disastrous for his mental health," she explained in a compassionate voice. "Nathan didn't die from the stab wounds and Katie is also safe, so I see no further reason that Mister Douglas should have to suffer in the confines of a hospital jail ward."

At the thought of Elton possibly being released, Nathan paled and Judge Morenno quickly noticed his reaction, "Nathan, I'd like to know if you think your father is ready for release from Northwestern's jail ward to a halfway house or if you think he should return to prison?" she asked, gazing at Nathan.

"Your Honor, I'd like to correct you if I may," Nathan replied softly. "Luka Kovac is my father."

Elton's eyes narrowed and he glared at Nathan, but Nathan kept his eyes on Judge Morenno, who was nodding understandingly, "My apologies, Nathan," she replied in a gentle voice. "Please answer."

"Your Honor, I really don't think it's a good idea for Elton to go to a halfway house where he could easily escape and possibly come after my family and I or after Doctor Malucci again," Nathan replied in a concerned voice, well aware that Elton was glaring at him. "I think he's better off in prison."

Kem's eyes widened, "Your Honor, I believe that Nathan is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and it's affecting his judgment," she spoke up anxiously. "Nathan is NOT a competent judge…"

"Doctor Kovac, what is your opinion?" Judge Morenno asked, quickly cutting Kem's rant off.

Luka swallowed hard, "I believe Nathan has good judgment and that he is right in his thoughts about Elton Douglas," he replied calmly. "I do not believe that Elton is ready to be released from prison."

Judge Morenno was quiet for a moment and then nodded, "Elton Douglas, I order you back to the correctional facility for the next 60 days and we'll re-evaluate things then," she said, banging her gavel.

Elton scowled as the guards came over to him and he stood up, his eyes on Nathan, "This hearing is dismissed," Judge Morenno announced firmly. "I hope you all have a lovely summer."

Swallowing hard, Nathan watched the guards lead Elton from the room, "Luka, I was wondering if you could take me to an Alateen meeting today at the community center that's not really far from our place?" he asked softly, gazing at his stepfather. "It's for teenagers affected by alcoholics."

Luka looked surprised, but said nothing, "There's usually a meeting during the day, but I haven't been able to go in a while," Nathan explained softly. "I just think I need to go today, though."

"Sure," Luka replied calmly as he stood up. "Jeanie Boulet is watching Katie and Joe, so it's fine."

Relieved that Luka was fine with his need for help, Nathan smiled and stood up to leave the room.

* * *

><p>The nursery was covered in dust that made John sneeze, but he quickly saw the pile of papers on the floor that was partially covered by a blanket. Slowly sitting on the floor, he removed the blanket and gathered all the documents and photos into a neat stack so he could look at them more closely.<p>

John's eyes widened as he studied the legal documents that listed Dave's birth parents as his mother and Anthony Malucci and that Dave was born in a hospital in rural New York. Pictures of baby Dave with his mother, a younger him, and Barbara with Gamma brought tears of shock to John's tired eyes.

Getting up from the floor, John set the documents on a table and took his time looking at the dust-covered furniture and toys all over the room. His mother had never allowed anyone into this room when they were kids and John now knew why; the memory of Dave must have been too painful for her.

"John?" John suddenly heard a quiet voice say. "John, what are you doing in this dusty room?"

Turning to face his father, John sighed and picked up the documents, "Wondering how Dave grew up since Mom gave him to his father," he replied anxiously. "Mom told me about Dave this morning."

"Ah," Jack replied calmly, grateful that Eleanor had finally confessed about John's half-brother.

John nodded, "It's really strange, but in a way, it tells me why you and Mom had so many problems over the years," he replied softly. "I met Dave when he started a residency back at County and I really wasn't very nice to him until last year when I learned more about him. Was Dave ever told any of this, Dad?"

"I expect not," Jack replied calmly. "Your grandmother did find a way to get involved in Dave's life without disrupting it, however; she asked Dave to help Chase regain basic life skills on her paycheck and it was her way of learning about Dave without revealing a secret that would have hurt him badly."

Sighing, John suddenly looked very sad, "I guess I'll have to tell Dave since Mom won't," he stated in a distressed voice, knowing it would upset Dave to hear it. "He's got a ten year old son, you know."

"I think, with all that's happened recently, that there should be no more secrets in this family," Jack stated in a concerned voice, patting John on the shoulder before he left the dust-covered nursery.

Still unsure of how to break the news to Dave, John silently stared at the items in his hands.

* * *

><p>"Doctor Kovac, here are your x-rays," Jerry said, passing a folder to Amy, who was at the desk working on Alex's chart in a way that didn't expose Sam and Alex's painful secret. "Radiology said…"<p>

Determined to keep Sam and Alex's problems secret from the rest of the ER, Amy snatched the folder and smiled, "Thanks, Jerry," she said as she hurried off to a lightbox that was near the room where Sam and Alex were hiding, waiting for an opportunity to sneak out so Alex could hurry off to school.

"Hey, you!" an angry shout suddenly came from the waiting area. "Hey, Doctor Blondie!"

Amy turned and saw a rough looking man coming towards her with an infuriated expression on his face, "Doc, I know my stupid ex-wife and my brat came here!" the man shouted, the smell of liquor on his breath causing Amy to step back. "Just tell me where they are and nobody will get hurt!"

"Who are you, sir?" Amy asked politely, figuring this must be the Steve that Sam had mentioned.

Steve's eyes narrowed and he took another step towards Amy with the intent of hitting her, but Dave, who had just been putting his and Daniel's things in the lounge where Daniel was waiting until it was time to go to school, quickly hurried over to the two of them, "Hey, buddy, why don't you back off from threatening a pregnant woman?" Dave snapped, snarling as he got right in Steve's face.

"Oooh, this shorty wants to mess with me, does he?!" Steve crowed, peering at Dave's ID badge as Amy motioned for the security guards near the ER entrance. "Well, Doctor Malucci, you've got another…"

The guards quickly arrived and firmly escorted Steve away before he could finish his sentence, "What's going on over here?" Mark asked, having seen the confrontation involving Steve, Amy, and Dave.

"It's nothing, Mark," Amy replied in an anxious voice, suddenly having memories of the past.

Dave frowned, "That guy was threatening you, Amy," he replied sternly. "That's not okay."

"What?" Mark asked, frowning at Amy and Dave. "Amy, are you okay to continue your shift?"

Amy nodded, "I just need a moment alone," she replied, suddenly feeling very terrified.

Mark nodded and watched with concern as Amy silently hurried down the hallway towards the Exam Rooms, "Do you have a little time before you have to take Daniel to school, Dave?" Mark asked softly.

Dave nodded and silently walked off in the direction Amy had gone, determined to be of help. Mark was tempted to follow, but he suddenly caught sight of Jerry motioning to him while holding the phone out.

"Doctor Greene, it's Rachel on the phone," Jerry said in a low voice. "She sounds a little upset."

Mark frowned and took the phone when he reached the desk, "Thanks, Jerry," he replied softly.

"Sam, I think your Steve just stopped by looking for you and Alex," Amy stated in an anxious voice as she came into the Exam Room where Sam and Alex were hiding. "He ended up being escorted out."

Sam nodded and eyed the folder in Amy's hands, "How are Alex's x-rays?" she asked nervously.

Amy silently set the x-rays up on a lightbox and turned the lightbox on, "Alex has a couple of broken ribs, but setting them shouldn't be too difficult," she explained in a reassuring voice. "I can get to it…"

"Amy, you in here?" Dave asked as he came into the room. "Nurse Taggart, Alex, hi there."

Alex frowned and looked at the floor and Sam sighed, "What's going on in here?" Dave asked in a concerned voice, seeing that both Sam and Alex looked battered. "Was that guy looking for you?"

"It's complicated, Doctor Malucci," Sam replied in an aloof voice as she stroked Alex's hand.

Dave frowned, "I'm no stranger to family abuse," he replied calmly. "Do you want my help?"

Amy looked surprised, but Dave sighed, "You don't need a repeat of what happened today, Amy, so after Alex is taken care of, I'll take them to my place so that Alex can rest," he stated in an anxious voice, not wanting Amy to have any unnecessary stress and risk the pregnancy. "Does that sound good?"

"Doctor Malucci, you don't have to do this," Sam replied anxiously. "Steve is dangerous."

Dave sighed, "Daniel needs to go to school in about an hour, so I'll take him to school and then I'll drop you and Alex off at my apartment," he replied calmly. "I'll write Alex a doctor's note for today too."

"I'll wrap Alex's ribs," Amy said softly, deeply worried that Dave would end up in deep trouble with Sam's ex even though he was a good man and cared deeply about helping those in need. "Dave…"

Alex yawned as Dave followed Amy over to the supply cabinet, "Dave, please be careful," Amy whispered in a concerned voice as she got tape to wrap Alex's ribs. "I don't want anything else to happen to you like what happened in Grenada. I know you want to help those in grave need, but…"

"I'll be careful," Dave promised in a gentle voice. "Hey, don't you have an appointment today?"

Amy's eyes widened, "Oh, crap, yes I do!" she replied in a shocked voice. "I think it was at six, but I forgot and Doctor Coburn's probably left a voicemail on my answering machine scolding me."

"What exactly was the appointment for?" Dave asked softly. "You could just get checked down here."

Amy sighed, "Just an ultrasound," she replied nervously. "Dave, no female doctors are on duty."

Dave was silent for a moment and Amy swallowed hard, "I'll just phone OB and reschedule, don't worry," she replied, reluctant to let anyone but Dave examine her baby. "I need to go help Alex."

As Amy walked off, Dave watched her with a concerned expression on his face for only a moment before he went to the desk where Mark was working alongside Jerry, "Doctor Greene, do you have a sec?" he asked quietly, fully expecting to be told no. "I was wondering if you could ask Doctor Corday something for me since I'm not sure she'll talk to me. Amy missed her appointment this morning with OB and…"

"What was the appointment for?" Mark interrupted, hating seeing Dave look so nervous.

Dave sighed, "It was just an ultrasound," he replied softly. "She totally forgot about it, sir."

Mark's forehead creased as he gave Dave a concerned look, "Anyway, I've got to get Daniel out of the lounge and get him ready to go to school," Dave said nervously, intending on collecting Sam and Alex and sneaking them out along with Daniel. "Sorry to have bothered you and I'll be back really soon."

Dave quickly hurried off and Mark immediately reached for the phone and dialed upstairs to the O.R., hoping that Elizabeth wasn't in surgery or that she wouldn't refuse to help because Malucci had asked.

* * *

><p>Luka looked confused as he followed Nathan into the lobby of a rustic looking brick building that had a 'Community Centre' sign on the front of it and it was decorated as a high-class lobby complete with small bookracks filled with various community awareness literature, "This is where the meetings usually are and it's sort of a walk-in thing," Nathan explained, pointing to a nearby room.<p>

"I can wait out here," Luka replied in a reassuring voice, knowing Nathan was doing what he needed to.

Nathan nodded, "I won't be very long," he replied as he walked towards the door. "Thanks."

Luka watched as Nathan went inside the room and then he turned his attention to the racks of literature and he spotted one labelled Al-Anon: What Is It? Confused, Luka picked up the pamphlet and as he read, he realized that he had once been the loved one of an alcoholic and from what he knew, so had Amy.

Thoughts of Amy made Luka get his cell-phone out of his pocket and dial Amy's personal number, "Amy?" he asked softly as he heard his wife's voice on the other end. "Nothing, I just miss you."

Amy's gentle voice responding in surprise didn't alarm Luka and he smiled, "I brought Nathan to his Alateen meeting and I'm looking at brochures about something called Al-Anon," Luka explained as he studied the brochure. "It says it's for adults who are or were friends or family of alcoholics."

There was a gentle sigh on the other end of the line and Luka was very quiet as Amy explained that she had gone to the occasional meeting after the divorce, but she had been thinking about going again in light of the recent problems Elton was causing, "I'd support you if you did decide to go," Luka replied in a loving voice, wanting nothing more than to strangle Elton Douglas for causing harm to his family.

Amy spoke a few more words and then said that she had to go, "I love you," Luka whispered, chuckling as Amy replied in an equally loving manner before saying goodbye and hanging up. "My darling."

Swallowing hard, Luka put his phone back in his pocket and continued to read as he waited for Nathan.

* * *

><p>Anxious for Sam to finish helping Alex get back in his clothes, Dave silently hid Alex's chart in his bag so that nobody would find it and question Sam. Fortunately, Daniel was silently reading at the desk.<p>

"Malucci, do you have a sec?" Carter called out as he entered the ER and saw Dave at the desk.

Fully prepared for Carter to ask if he could have some of the shifts that Dr. Anspaugh had given him that had been created to accommodate his parenting responsibilities, Dave nodded, but didn't say anything because he knew he could get defensive, "I was wondering if my mom's ever been to County ER?" Carter asked softly, wondering if there was any truth to what his mother said. "She could have…"

"I think so," Dave replied calmly, wondering what Carter was getting at. "She seemed very nice."

Carter nodded and held up the envelope he had filled with Dave's birth certificate and baby photos, "My mom told me something really interesting," he explained as he handed Dave the envelope. "Open it."

Frowning, Dave opened the envelope and dumped the contents out on the counter, "What is all this stuff, Carter?" he asked in a confused voice. "It looks like your baby photos and a birth certificate."

Swallowing hard, Carter pointed to the birth certificate and Dave's eyes widened just as Kerry, who was coming to check on how things were going, came to the desk, "Is this some sort of sick joke, Carter?" Dave asked in a sharp, but trembling voice as he stared at the certificate. "This says I was born to an Eleanor Carter and an Anthony Malucci. My mother died when I was very small and this can't…"

"What's going on?" Kerry asked in a concerned voice, worried about why Dave was suddenly upset.

Dave scowled, but Carter coughed anxiously, "My mom told me she gave you to your father when you were six weeks old, Dave," Carter explained in an anxious voice. "There's the proof that I'm not kidding."

Determined to keep his cool even though he thought Carter's prank absolutely sickening, Dave ducked under the desk and came up with a DNA test package in hand that the ER kept on hand in case they needed a DNA test and Genetics was closed, "This prank is disgusting, but I'll take a DNA test to humor you," he replied as he opened the package and swabbed his mouth with a swab before putting it in one of the tubes and handing Carter a clean swab. "Swab your mouth and hand this in to Genetics."

"Fine," Carter replied as he took the swab and swabbed his mouth. "If it will convince you."

Scowling, Dave looked at Daniel, "Daniel, get your bag and come on," he said in a gentle voice.

Wondering why Carter had made his dad so upset, Daniel nodded and grabbed his backpack before he hopped off the chair and followed Dave down the hallway, "John, what are you doing here?" Kerry asked softly, gazing at the papers and photos. "If you've come back to ask for a job, we're full."

"Kerry, my mom only told me about this this morning and I thought it best to tell Dave right away," John replied as he packed up the DNA testing kit. "He thinks it's a prank, but this test will show him it isn't."

As Carter walked off with the DNA testing kit, Kerry silently looked at the birth certificate and photos, wondering if it was actually true.

* * *

><p>Lucas sighed as he walked into the group recreation room after talking and working on his therapy workbook with Dr. Gallant's help. To his shock, Ray and Sarah were sitting on a window seat locked in a passionate kiss, "Sarah?" Lucas asked in a quiet voice, devastated that she had lied to him about Ray.<p>

Sarah and Ray pulled apart just as a nurse came into the room, "What on earth is going on here?" the nurse asked in an infuriated voice. "Ray Barnett, I believe you were told never to come here again."

"Doctor Romano can't be everywhere," Ray snapped. "Besides, I don't work at County anymore."

The nurse, however, didn't leave and Ray sighed as he stood up, "All right, I'm going," Ray scoffed, glaring at Lucas as he kissed Sarah and sauntered out of the room. "See you twerps later."

Tears filled Sarah's eyes and Lucas sighed, "I'm sorry, Sarah," Lucas commented in a soft voice.

"It's all right, Lucas," Sarah replied tearfully as the nurse left the room. "I'm just in deep trouble."

Lucas frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked in a worried voice. "Because of Ray being here?"

"Ray got me pregnant," Sarah replied in an anxious, soft voice. "I have to leave the center and my dad's coming to pick me up because he works at a hospital and he knows people who can help me out."

Before Lucas could reply, Tony came into the room followed by a very kind looking nurse, "Tony Gates?" Lucas asked in a surprised voice, recognizing Tony from the hospital. "You work with Doctor Dave."

"During the summer, I'm a paramedic so that I can pay the bills," Tony replied calmly, having heard through the ER that Lucas was in rehab after taking drugs. "How are you doing with your recovery?"

Lucas shrugged and Sarah sighed, "I'll see you around, Lucas," she said sadly. "Take care of yourself."

Tears filled Lucas's eyes as he watched Tony and the nurse lead Sarah from the room and then he silently stood and walked until he was back on his floor, "Doctor Gallant?" he asked softly, spotting the young doctor right near the desk where the nurses were working. "Can I talk to you for a little bit?"

Even though he was finishing off his paperwork so he could go meet Neela, Michael nodded and smiled at Lucas, "Sure," he replied, seeing a pain in Lucas's eyes he hadn't seen before. "Let's go to my office."

* * *

><p>Emotionally rattled from helping Dave get Sam and Alex off to safety, Amy found herself in the lounge on the couch with a pillow behind her back and a magazine in her hand. She had wanted to have something from the fridge, but there hadn't been anything except super fatty or greasy foods there.<p>

The lounge door opened and Mark and Elizabeth came into the lounge, but Amy felt no need to get up since she hadn't taken a break, "Doctor Greene, Doctor Corday," she greeted them both calmly.

"Doctor Greene asked if I could do your ultrasound," Elizabeth replied gently. "I have time."

Amy looked amused, "Would you change your mind if you knew that Doctor Malucci asked Doctor Greene about it because I missed my appointment this morning?" she asked calmly. "I know you and Doctor Malucci don't get along, Doctor Corday, but if it weren't for him, I would not be alive now."

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment and then sighed, "I may have been slightly hard on Doctor Malucci since he returned and I do apologize for that," she replied softly. "Can you forgive me?"

"You're only human like the rest of us," Amy replied calmly. "Could you please do my ultrasound?"

Elizabeth nodded and Amy slowly stood up, grateful for Mark and Elizabeth's company as they went to the closest empty Exam Room. While Mark gathered the equipment and supplies, Amy laid on the bed and lifted her shirt, wincing as Elizabeth squirted goo on it and Mark warmed up the machine.

"It might be a bit cold at first," Elizabeth said in a calm voice as Mark handed her the probe.

Amy chuckled, "I've had five children, so I'm used to it," she replied in a gentle voice.

"Five?" Mark asked in a concerned voice. "Last I checked, you only had four kids and little Joe."

Amy sighed, "Katie was a twin, but her twin died a long time ago," she replied softly, feeling a sense of closure about mentioning Kathryn. "Now, I have five beautiful little ones and I'm expecting again."

"Heartbeat," Elizabeth replied, smiling as the sound of a heartbeat filled the small exam room.

Amy sighed and Mark peered at the screen to see if he could try and figure out what gender the baby was and then leave it up to Amy if she wanted to know, "Another heartbeat," he said in a gentle voice.

"Yes, I already know there's a heartbeat," Amy replied in a gentle voice. "I'm relieved about it."

Mark chuckled and smiled at Elizabeth, "There are two heartbeats," Elizabeth explained gently.

Amy's eyes widened and she gazed at the screen in both shock and wonder, "Twins?" she asked softly.

* * *

><p>"You don't have to do this for us, Doctor Malucci," Sam commented in a tired voice as she led Alex into Dave's apartment and watched as Dave closed the door. "Alex and I could always go to a hotel."<p>

Dave sighed and Alex immediately settled himself on the couch, "Just give Alex a couple of days to rest where you and he don't have to worry about things," he replied calmly, setting Sam and Alex's bags near the couch. "There's a good amount of food in the fridge if you need it and anything else you two need. I talked to Daniel about you and Alex staying here and he's okay with it. At least he's at school right now."

"Thank you," Sam replied nervously, well aware that Dave was ignoring her attempts to leave.

Dave nodded, "The couch unfolds into a hide-a-bed and I can unfold it before I go back to work if it'll help Alex feel more comfortable," he replied calmly. "I imagine that you could also use a bit of a rest."

"Steve insists on being pleased after Alex is in bed at night," Sam replied in an embarrassed voice.

Gritting his teeth, Alex got off the couch, "Could you make the hide-a-bed come out, Doctor Malucci?" he asked softly, eager for a nice long sleep without having to worry about his abusive father.

"Sure," Dave replied in a calm voice as he silently unfolded the couch to reveal a hide-a-bed, "It's something I found at a thriftshop in the Loop and cleaned. It's for any guests who visit overnight."

Sam nodded and helped Alex sit down on it, "Don't answer the phone or the door," Dave continued in an anxious voice. "I get off at six today, so I'll get Daniel at his school and he'll be at County with me."

"Is Amy going to come by at all?" Sam asked softly. "Alex was very comfortable with her."

Dave sighed, "I'll see if she can," he replied calmly. "For now, just take it easy and know you're safe."

Sam nodded, but said nothing as Dave grabbed his bag and left the apartment. She watched Alex lay down and fall asleep before she got up, looking for a phone book so that she could find a place for her and Alex to stay. She planned to let Alex rest for a while and then leave with him before Dave returned.

* * *

><p>The door opened and Jeanie, who had been doing some light cleaning with gloves while Joe had a morning nap and Katie did some work in her homeschooling workbooks, smiled as she saw Luka and Nathan come into the living room, "Hi Jeanie," Luka said pleasantly. "How were Katie and Joe?"<p>

"Katie's working on schoolwork in the kitchen and Joe's upstairs having a nap," Jeanie replied cheerfully.

Luka nodded and smiled as he loosened his tie, "I appreciate you looking after Katie and Joe while I went with Nathan to his hearing," he replied calmly, watching as Nathan ripped his tie off with a sigh. "Elton was sent back to the correctional facility for the next 90 days and there will be another hearing then."

"That must make you feel better, Nathan," Jeanie said in an encouraging voice. "Does it?"

Nathan shrugged, "Luka, can I call the ER and tell Mom and Uncle Dave?" he asked, just wanting to get into comfortable clothes, do some schoolwork, and then have as much junk food as he could.

"Sure," Luka replied in a calm voice, hoping that Nathan would take it easy. "Thank you again, Jeanie."

Jeanie nodded and smiled, "It wasn't a problem, Luka," she replied calmly. "Anyway, I've got to run and get some lunch before I meet up with Chase and help him through his afternoon routines. See you."

After Jeanie left, Luka wandered into the kitchen and saw that Nathan was outside with the cordless phone while Katie sat at the table with a notebook and a workbook, "Hi there, Daddy Luka," Katie said in a pleasant voice as she looked up from her work. "Did you and Nathan have a good day at court?"

"Yes, Katie, we did," Luka replied gently as he sat at the table with Katie. "That bad man who tried to kidnap you a few months ago is going to go back to jail from the hospital. Now you can be happy."

Katie nodded and silently went back to her work, "What do you want for lunch, Katie?" Luka asked as he walked over to the fridge and cupboards that had food in them. "We can have just about anything."

"I dunno," Katie replied softly. "I'm just happy that I can do my school at home because it was super hard being in school because I just felt really scared like I was in Africa. I didn't mean to feel scared."

Luka sighed, "It's okay to feel scared when bad things are happening," he replied gently. "I was scared when I went to Africa that I would never find you again and I was scared when Nathan was hurt."

Before Katie could reply, Nathan came back inside and hung the cordless phone up, "Mom sends her love and Uncle Dave does too," he reported in a tired voice. "Is it all right if I eat lunch before I…?"

"It's fine," Luka replied calmly. "You've had a stressful day, so just take it easy and I'll make lunch."

Nathan nodded and sighing deeply, he wandered back into the living room to have a nap on the couch til lunch. Instead of laying down, however, Nathan found himself kneeling and silently thanking God for helping the judge see enough reason to send Elton Douglas back to jail where he couldn't hurt anyone.

* * *

><p>Afraid that he would run into Carter and be faced with more inappropriate pranks, Dave silently entered the lounge and quickly stashed his bag in his locket before anyone could find it. He had just re-locked it when Amy came in with several charts in her hands, determined to do paperwork while it was slow.<p>

"Did you get Sam and Alex settled at your apartment, Dave?" Amy asked in a concerned voice.

Dave nodded, "Did you get your ultrasound done?" he asked in a worried voice. "How is everything?"

"Everything's fine, dear brother," Amy replied in a calm voice, deciding to wait a few days before telling friends or family while she set the charts on the table. "Dave, I know you've heard this before, but I'm worried that Sam's ex might come after you for helping Sam because he didn't exactly act civil when he came by the ER looking for her and Alex earlier."

Swallowing hard, Dave crossed his arms, "I've never liked seeing women and children being beat up," he replied in an anxious voice, frowning as Dr. Romano came into the lounge. "Doctor Romano, what's up?"

"Rumor has it that you and Amy here had a little run in with an aggressive person this morning," Dr. Romano commented, having heard the nurses gossiping as he prepared to do rounds. "Please explain."

Not wanting Sam or Amy implicated, Dave shrugged, "It was just an aggressive guy looking for his wife and he was acting in a threatening way towards Amy," he replied calmly. "I made sure Amy was safe."

"Dave, the last time you made sure a woman was safe, you ended up bleeding to death from stab wounds in a totalled car," Dr. Romano replied in a concerned voice. "I know you've got a thing about protecting abused women and children, but I am begging you to please be careful about your involvement in this situation. You are like a son to me and it would kill me if something bad happened to you."

Dave nodded, but didn't say anything, "Just trying to look out for you, kiddo," Dr. Romano continued as he left the lounge to get back to work, leaving Amy to relax and Dave with things to think about.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please read and leave reviews!<em>**


	12. The Consequences of Nobility

Ignoring her shaking hands, Sam stuffed her clothes in the backpack that she planned to take when she and Alex secretly moved out of Dave's apartment while he wasn't home. At the moment, Dave was at work because Daniel was at school and she had been making excuses for Alex not to attend school in case Steve went there and took him. Alex was sitting on the bed, silently watching his mother pack.

"Mom, why do we have to leave?" Alex asked softly. "Doctor Dave and Daniel are nice to us."

Sam sighed, "I know they are, Alex, but we can't keep mooching off of them," she replied in a distressed voice as she zipped the bag of clothes up, not wanting to tell Alex or anyone else that Steve had an idea that they were staying with Dr. Malucci. "I don't want Steve to find out where we are and come after Doctor Malucci or Daniel for giving us a place to live. It's bad enough Doctor Kovac got involved…"

"How come she's got so many kids?" Alex asked in a confused voice. "Where's Lucas at?"

Not wanting to explain that Lucas was in a state rehab in another part of Chicago, Sam frowned, "Alex, is your diabetes stuff packed?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Chuny's going to be here any minute."

"Why is Chuny coming to take us over to her place?" Alex asked in a worried voice, grabbing his bag off the bed as he got off the bed. "It's in a really nice area and I'm worried that we're gonna get lost."

Before Sam could reply, there was a knock at the door and Sam hurried out of the room. She opened the door and was relieved to see Chuny standing there and was more relieved when Chuny came inside.

"Are you almost ready?" Chuny asked in a calm voice. "Did you want me tell Doctor Malucci?"

Sam shook her head and offered Chuny an envelope containing a letter and some money as a thank you to Dave for putting them up, "Just give this to Doctor Malucci whenever you see him," she replied in an anxious voice. "He's been good enough to put us up, but I can't impose on him or Daniel any longer."

"Are you still going to work at County?" Chuny asked in a concerned voice. "He'll ask you why…"

Sam sighed, "I'll be doing surgical nurse's training, so I won't always be in the ER," she replied calmly.

"Mom, can we go?" Alex asked in an anxious, impatient voice. "Since we have to go, we should."

Sam nodded and sighed heavily as Alex came out of the bedroom with their bags, "How was living with Doctor Dave, anyway?" Chuny asked in a gentle voice as they left the apartment. "Was it fun?"

"It was safe," Sam replied anxiously. "Dave didn't try anything with me. He was a perfect gentleman."

As she loaded the bags and Alex into Chuny's parked car, Sam sighed and wondered if Dave would be so forgiving since she was basically throwing his hospitality back in his face. Would he hate her forever?

* * *

><p>"Lucas, you have some visitors," Lucas heard Dr. Gallant say in a gentle voice. "Wanna say hello?"<p>

Swallowing hard, Lucas looked up from the chair in his room where he was doing his required bookwork and was surprised to see his mother, Luka, Nathan, Erinn, Katie, and Joe come into the room, "Hey," Lucas replied, wondering why his parents and siblings had come. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I have some news about the pregnancy and I wanted to share it with all of you at the same time," Amy replied in a gentle voice, quickly passing Joe to Luka so she could sit on a chair. "How are you doing?"

Lucas frowned, "Is something wrong?" he replied in a concerned voice. "Is everything okay with the…?"

"Lucas, everything's fine," Amy replied gently. "I found out I was having twins a couple of weeks ago and I've kept it a secret from everyone but Doctor Greene, your grandfather, Elizabeth, and Dave because I wanted to tell my husband and beautiful children all together. I got the morning off to come here."

Lucas nodded, "That's great," he replied, his mind still on Sarah lying about her friendship to him.

"Is something wrong, honey?" Amy asked, seeing that Lucas looked sad. "What happened?"

Overwhelmed that Sarah and Ray had duped him and that he had no friends in the rehab center, Lucas burst into tears and quickly explained about Sarah's lies and her pregnancy with Ray Barnett's baby, not seeing Dr. Gallant's impressed expression as he did so. The room then fell completely silent.

"Nathan, will you please take Erinn, Katie, and Joe down to the cafeteria?" Amy asked softly.

Understanding that his mother and Luka wanted to talk to Lucas alone, Nathan nodded and took Joe before leading Erinn and Katie from the room, "I know about Ray and Sarah because Doctor Gallant reported Ray to County," Amy replied in a serious voice. "Doctor Romano told me and I'm sorry that Ray and Sarah both lied to you, but it doesn't make you stupid. You are very intelligent and very brave."

"I suppose since we're discussing this situation, I should mention that I'm being transferred from the center," Dr. Gallant spoke up gently. "I'm being transferred to County and I've recommended that you also be transferred there, but be given access to day passes so you can try reintegrating into things."

Lucas gave Dr. Gallant and his parents a confused look, "You're getting there, Lucas, you really are," Amy replied in a gentle voice, smiling at him. "I'm sorry such terrible things happened to you, I really I am."

"It's not your fault, Mom," Lucas replied softly, suddenly feeling very tired. "I'm really tired all of a sudden, but you guys can stay however long you want. When am I being transferred, anyway?"

Dr. Gallant smiled, "Later today, I believe," he replied calmly. "You have time for a rest, though."

"I'm working this afternoon, so I'll come visit you," Luka offered, gently kissing Lucas's head.

Lucas smiled as his mother stood and gently hugged him, "I love you, my Lucas," Amy whispered.

"Love you, Mom," Lucas replied in a calm voice. "Um, Luka, could…could I call you Dad?"

Luka's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded, "If you want," he replied in a gratified voice.

"Okay, Dad, I'll see you later at the hospital," Lucas replied in a tired voice. "Bye."

Luka smiled and led Amy from the room, "Thanks, Doctor Gallant," Lucas spoke softly.

"I've got to go get your paperwork and I'll take you over to the hospital by noon," Dr. Gallant replied in a pleasant voice, encouraged by Lucas's progress. "I'm really proud of you, Lucas. Have a good rest."

A deep relief washed over Lucas as Dr. Gallant smiled at him and silently left him alone in the room.

* * *

><p>"Dave, it's here," Dave heard an anxious voice say as he worked on updating some patient files.<p>

Swallowing hard, Dave looked up and saw Carter standing at the desk holding a large manila envelope with an expectant look on his face, "I got the results of the DNA test in my box this morning and I wanted us to look at it together," Carter explained in an anxious voice. "When are you on break?"

"I'm supposed to take one right now, actually," Dave replied calmly. "Open the envelope."

Carter silently opened the envelope, but didn't look at the paper inside. Instead, he offered the paper to Dave and sighing heavily, Dave pulled out the paper and silently read the carefully calculated results.

_The subjects are biologically related… _stood out to Dave and the thought of the life he had known suddenly being a lie made him feel angry, nauseous, and claustrophobic, "What does it say?" Carter asked in an anxious voice, his tone full of anticipation in getting to know this half-brother of his.

Panic filled Dave and, clenching the paper in his hand, he bolted off down the hallway and up several flights of stairs until he reached the roof. Breathing heavily, he sank against the brick ledge and skimmed the sheet several times before bursting into tears and holding the paper tightly against his chest.

* * *

><p>"You're being transferred to County with another resident?" Kem asked in a voice of disbelief as she sat down at the break table in Mercy's staff lounge across from her husband. "Why County of all places?"<p>

Greg sighed, "It's not til September and it's because Ray Barnett is being transferred to Mercy to do his residency," he replied calmly, having been sworn to secrecy about the situation by Dr. Banfield. "It's not like I'm going to be there forever; I'm just going there to train Morris and keep him out of trouble."

"I can't believe Doctor Banfield allowed Morris to continue practicing medicine even though everyone knows he smokes marijuana," Kem sniffed. "I know he does it on his breaks, but he endangers patients."

Again, Greg sighed and Kem gave him a look, "It's going to be awkward if I run into John because I still have so many bad memories of our unsteady relationship and the loss of Joshua," she explained in a distressed voice. "I'm glad he remarried, but I can't help of think what I lost by being with him."

"Well, you're with me and I won't ever disappoint you," Greg replied in a reassuring voice, smiling at her as he caressed her hand. "I'll work at County long enough to get Morris situated enough that he can stand on his own two feet and then we can go back to Africa. I promise we won't be here forever."

Kem smiled, "I've got to get going," she replied gently. "Mister Douglas has a session today."

"Have a good day, love," Greg replied as Kem stood and left the tiny staff break room.

Smiling, Greg returned to his cup of coffee and paper, determined to make the most of his break before Dr. Banfield called him to help Morris work on charts or patients because he had smoked a joint.

* * *

><p>"Carter, have you seen Malucci?" Kerry asked in a concerned voice as she came to the desk and saw the spot where Dave had been working empty and left a mess. "His break was over half an hour ago."<p>

Carter frowned as he held the envelope that Dave had left behind, "Kerry, I don't think Dave's too happy with me or feeling like working right now," he replied in a worried voice. "The DNA results came today."

"Really?" Kerry asked in a shocked voice, her eyes widening slightly. "What did the results say, John?"

Carter exhaled anxiously, "Dave and I are biologically related through my mother," he replied as he pulled out the second copy of the sheet that had been sent. "Dave got upset and walked off…"

"Maybe just give Dave some space, John," Kerry replied calmly. "How are you feeling about this?"

Carter sighed, "I'm angry at my mother for not telling me this and I'm wanting to get to know Dave, but he's angry about it," he replied in a distressed voice. "I don't know where he went or if he's all right…"

Before Kerry could reply, she spotted Dave coming down the stairwell with Dr. Romano, both of them in a deep conversation. Dr. Romano looked calm and understanding, but Dave looked tired and somber.

"I was walking around the roof with my coffee and enjoying the sunny weather and I found this ER doctor on the roof," Dr. Romano commented in a mock cheerful tone. "I figured you missed him."

Dave sighed as he looked at Kerry, "I kinda forgot to clean up before my break, but I can do it now and then go see some patients," he commented softly, deliberately avoiding looking at Carter.

"That's fine, Doctor Malucci," Kerry replied calmly. "You're doing a good job today."

Nodding, Dave silently walked off into the ER, "Carter, do me a favor and wait for Dave to approach you about this situation," Dr. Romano spoke in an unusually quiet voice. "He told me what happened."

"We've already missed so many years," Carter replied anxiously. "What if Dave's never ready to…?"

Dr. Romano sighed, "He'll come around," he replied calmly. "I know him well; just give it time."

"I need to go see Abby," Carter replied, figuring he might as well tell her that Dave was his half-brother and that he wasn't taking it very well. "I should tell her about what's going on and how…"

Tears filled Carter's eyes and he found himself crying against the wall, "John, I know that this has to be hard on both you and Dave," Kerry spoke softly. "Take some time to process this before you try to approach Dave and maybe he'll be ready to talk about this. For now, go home and talk to Abby."

Nodding, Carter wiped his face on his sleeve and took a deep breath, "I'll see you all later, I guess," he said in a shaky voice, knowing he really needed to process things before he could deal with it.

Knowing that her own experience in being adopted would be able to help her perhaps provide Dave with some support, Kerry silently went back into the ER and saw Dave stacking the charts he had been working on while Frank watched with a worried expression on his face, "Dave," Kerry spoke softly as she approached the younger doctor. "Doctor Malucci, if you want to talk about this; I understand it."

"Maybe once it makes sense to me," Dave replied in a hollow voice, quickly closing his eyes.

Kerry nodded and Dave whimpered softly, "C'mon, Doctor Malucci, let's go for a walk," Kerry said, gently taking his arm and easing him away from the desk. "These charts can wait a little bit."

Swallowing hard, Dave allowed Kerry to lead him out the ambulance entrance and over to the food truck near the edge of the bay, "Green tea and a coffee, please," Kerry told the vendor inside the truck.

As Dave and Kerry waited for the vendor to fill their order, neither noticed that Steve was watching them both from an alley on the other side of the street, eager to teach Dave a lesson at the right time.

* * *

><p>After settling Erinn and Katie in the living room with cartoon videos and Joe in his playpen while Nathan occupied the kitchen to do his homework and other things until his shift that afternoon, Luka quickly realized that Amy was nowhere to be found. He quickly figured out that Amy wasn't downstairs, so he went up the stairs and searched the bedrooms and bathroom, finally finding Amy in the nursery, silently putting together two small cribs with the help of the instructions and a box of well-cared for tools.<p>

"What are you doing?" Luka asked in a curious voice, watching as Amy dropped small mattresses into the assembled cribs and covered them with blankets. "I was planning to do that tomorrow."

Amy shrugged, "I'm just doing the cribs," she replied calmly. "The rest of the decoration can wait."

"How did you manage to lift all the heavy pieces?" Luka asked in a concerned voice. "You're not…"

Amy smiled, "It's fine, Luka," she replied gently. "I needed something to do to occupy my mind."

"You're tired, aren't you?" Luka asked gently. "You got up in the middle of the night last night."

Amy nodded and sighed as she caressed the cribs, "I was thinking about seeing DeRaad or Meyer tomorrow when you have the day off," she replied softly. "Nightmares about the past."

"I used to have those a lot," Luka replied calmly, smiling as Amy yawned. "How about a nap?"

Amy chuckled softly, "You and Nathan both work this afternoon and I'm sure Erinn, Katie, and Joe will need my attention and I've also got to find time to go visit Lucas at County," she replied softly. "

"I'll visit Lucas during my shift this afternoon and tonight," Luka replied gently. "I promised him."

Amy nodded and yawned, but before she could reply, the phone rang downstairs and a few moments later, Erinn came up the stairs with the cordless in her hand, "Mom, it's Uncle Dave," she said softly.

Nodding, Amy took the receiver, "This is Amy," she spoke into the phone. "How are you, Dave?"

There was a heavy silence and Amy frowned as Dave explained that Carter's mother had told Carter that he and Carter were half-brothers and a DNA test just proved it, "Oh, wow," Amy said into the phone, her eyes wide as she leaned against one of the cribs. "Where are you now? Kerry took you for a walk?"

Luka's eyes were wide as Amy sighed gently, "Come for dinner tonight and we'll have a talk," she said in a gentle voice, giving Luka a look to let him know he didn't have to worry about her that night. "Okay?"

There was a quiet reply and Dave thanked her before hanging up, "I'm suddenly feeling hungry," Amy commented softly, giving Luka a look. "I told Dave to come over for dinner tonight after his shift and Daniel will more than likely be with him. I'll also extend a dinner invitation to my father."

"Okay," Luka replied, eager to be supportive even though he had many questions on his mind.

Amy sighed and headed out of the room in search of food and Luka silently followed after her.

* * *

><p>"Amy invited Daniel and I over for dinner tonight so we could talk about this," Dave commented as he returned the cell-phone to Kerry before sipping his green tea. "I can't believe I was adopted out."<p>

Kerry nodded and sipped her coffee, but didn't say anything, "My dad wasn't that kind to me and know I guess I know why," Dave spoke in a somber voice. "My mom died when I was young, but I guess she wasn't my mom and my real mom got rid of me because she didn't want to take responsibility…"

"It's not your fault," Kerry interrupted, cutting Dave off. "Your biological mother made a choice."

Dave sighed, "We should probably get back," he said, turning his step as he sipped his tea.

Realizing that Dave would need time before he would open up more about the situation, Kerry nodded and the two walked back to the ambulance bay in silence. As they walked up the ambulance bay, however, Chuny came out of the ER holding the envelope that Sam had given her that morning.

"Doctor Malucci, Nurse Taggart asked me to give this to you," Chuny stated, handing him the envelope before she looked at Kerry. "Nurse Taggart's taking some personal time away from the hospital."

It didn't take long for Dave to realize that Sam had taken Alex, left his apartment, and had sent him money and a thank-you letter, but he didn't say that, "Thanks, Chuny," he replied cordially.

"Tony also wants to see you," Chuny said in a pleasant voice. "He's waiting for you in the lounge."

Dave frowned and he looked questioningly at Kerry, "Go ahead," she said in an encouraging voice.

"Thanks, Chief," Dave commented softly, smiling at Kerry as he went back inside the hospital.

Draining his cup, Dave walked into the lounge and saw Tony sitting next to a nervous looking teenage girl on the couch, "Sarah, this is Doctor Malucci," Tony explained gently. "Doctor Malucci, this is my daughter, Sarah, and I convinced her to come and talk to you because it involves Ray Barnett."

Dave frowned, but nodded, "Ray visited me at the center and Lucas found out and Ray threatened him if he told anyone," Sarah explained in an anxious voice. "See, Ray and I had some intercourse and I…"

"Sarah, it's okay," Tony gently interjected, noticing that Sarah was beginning to break down in tears.

Sarah nodded, swallowed hard, and sighed, "When I found out that I was pregnant, I had to leave the rehab facility," she explained softly. "I really am not in a position to have this baby, but I don't want to go to Mercy or Northwestern because Doctor Gallant's at Mercy and Ray's at Northwestern now…"

"Ray's at Northwestern?" Dave asked softly, knowing he would need to tell the administration.

Sarah nodded and Dave sighed, "What can I do for you today?" he asked in a worried voice.

"I don't know how pregnant I am or if the baby's healthy," Sarah said, tears filling her eyes.

Dave nodded, "Why don't you and Tony come with me and I'll see if Doctor Coburn's got time to see you," he offered in a kind voice. "Or, if you don't want to go up, I can get a nurse to help you here."

Before Sarah could make up her mind, the door to the lounge opened and Kerry came in, immediately freezing at the sight of Tony and Sarah, "Doctor Weaver," Tony spoke nervously. "I was just…"

"Chief, I was wondering if you could talk to Tony and his daughter, Sarah, and also give Sarah a prenatal exam?" Dave asked in a concerned voice. "You also need to know that Ray Barnett is the father."

Kerry pursed her lips, but nodded, "I'm Doctor Weaver, Sarah," she said calmly. "Will you trust me?"

Sarah nodded and Dave sighed, "I'm going to go talk to Doctor Romano for a little bit before Daniel comes by for lunch," he said in a tired voice as he slowly walked out of the safety of the lounge.

* * *

><p>"Dave's your brother?" Abby breathed, her eyes wide as she prepared two cups of tea for her and John to share as they talked at the kitchen island. "I take it he didn't take it well since you're here with me?"<p>

John sighed, "Dave seemed upset, but I felt like I needed to come home and tell you first and both Kerry and Doctor Romano said to give Dave time," he replied in an anxious voice. "I'm just so shocked."

"You're scared to talk to Dave because he might not want to acknowledge what the DNA test said and you're too scared to admit your own feelings about it without getting angry," Abby replied in an unimpressed voice. "You're angry at your mom for not telling you and you're also surprised."

John nodded, "I want to talk to Dave, but I don't know how to do it," he finally admitted anxiously.

"One of the conditions of the adoption was that we take Maggie for monthly medical checkups to make sure she hasn't developed any illnesses from her mother," Abby explained in a gentle, but direct voice, remembering that she and Kerry had discussed it. "Her next checkup is in the next few days, so you can talk to Dave while I'm seeing to getting Maggie's checkup done. Kerry said she'd do the checkup."

Without warning, a cry sounded out from the baby monitor that was always kept on the counter, "Oh, Maggie's awake," Abby commented softly, knowing that with Eleanor off at her hotel, her mother off visiting Eric, and Jack travelling, they were on their own for the next few days. "We'd better go up."

Making a mental note to get his thoughts and feelings in order so he and Dave could have a good discussion about the situation next time they saw each other, Carter nodded and followed Abby.

* * *

><p>"How's school going, buddy?" Dave asked softly, smiling as he and Daniel ate their lunch at a part of the desk where Frank wasn't working. "I've been thinking about signing you up for community soccer."<p>

Daniel grinned eagerly, "That's awesome," he replied in an eager voice. "Will you come watch me?"

Dave nodded just as Mark walked by, "Hi, Doctor Greene!" Daniel called out eagerly. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, Daniel," Mark replied gently. "Doctor Malucci, have you seen Kerry? She asked to see me."

Dave sighed, "I think Chief's in Exam Three with a patient," he replied calmly, not wanting to mention that it was Tony's daughter and that Ray Barnett had impregnated her. "I can't say a whole lot."

Mark frowned and Dave mentally kicked himself, "What do you mean you can't say a whole lot?" he asked in a concerned voice, trying to keep calm for Daniel's sake. "Is there a problem with the patient?"

"It concerns Ray Barnett, that's why," Kerry's sharp voice carried down the hallway as she came down the hallway looking both upset and angry. "Mark, I need to talk to you in Exam Three right now."

Mark nodded and followed Kerry back down the hallway, "Oh, Daniel, would it be okay if we went over to Auntie Amy's for dinner tonight after work?" Dave asked in a soft voice as he smiled at Daniel.

"Yeah!" Daniel replied in an eager voice. "I really like hanging out with Katie, but I really miss Lucas."

Dave nodded, "Lucas is going through a hard time right now, but he's going to be coming to this hospital for treatment that will hopefully help him enough that he can go home," he explained in a gentle voice, hoping that he could get a chance to visit with Lucas once he was settled. "When Lucas gets better, he's going to want to know that he has friends even though he made a bad choice. Do you understand?"

"I'll be Lucas's friend if he's not gonna be angry anymore, Dad," Daniel replied softly, smiling at Dave.

Dave smiled and quickly realized that their lunches were finished, "Let's say we start walking you back to school, okay?" he suggested in a gentle voice as he stood up. "I'll also come get you after school."

Daniel nodded and quickly cleaned up his mess before he grabbed his backpack and followed after Dave, both Maluccis unaware that Steve was crouched beside a dumpster, studying Dave's every last move.

* * *

><p>Peter sighed heavily as he gazed at the wall clock and wondered how long it would be before Dr. DeRaad or Dr. Meyers would be available for a talk. Ever since Cleo had been killed by Elton Douglas right before his eyes and he had only escaped with injury, Peter had forced himself to run on autopilot with work, interacting with Jackie and her family, and raising Reese to the best of his ability as a single parent.<p>

Time, rest, and physical therapy had healed his physical wounds and had allowed him to return to work and caring for Reese, Peter thought silently as he sat there, but he wasn't sure how to deal with the emotional impact of being shot, losing Cleo, and moving forward. He knew that he needed help.

"Doctor Benton?" a voice suddenly spoke, bringing Peter sharply out of his quiet reflection.

Peter looked up and was relieved to see that it was Dr. Meyer standing over him, "Hi there, Doctor Meyer," he said in a nervous voice, standing up. "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a bit?"

Dr. Meyer was silent for a moment and nodded, remaining silent until they were in a private counseling room, "I've been hoping you would come for counseling, Doctor Benton," he commented calmly.

Peter nodded and sat on the couch, sighing as he did so, "I've just been trying to balance raising Reese and keeping to my work schedule," he replied softly. "I have nightmares from time to time and after I didn't sleep well last night, Jackie told me I should come in for counseling before it got any worse."

"You and Reese live with your sister, then?" Dr. Meyer asked in a calm voice. "Must make things easier."

Peter sighed, "Sometimes," he replied in a tired voice. "I just feel really overwhelmed other times."

"I only know bits and pieces about what happened, so why don't we talk about that and move on from there?" Dr. Meyer suggested in a calm voice, taking a seat. "I have time, so just take your time, okay?"

Nodding, Peter clasped his hands together and somberly began to recall what had led to Cleo's death.

* * *

><p>"Do I really have to be in this wheelchair?" Lucas pouted as the passenger door was opened.<p>

Dr. Gallant smiled, "I really don't think so, but I don't know County's policies," he replied in a gentle, reassuring voice, pleased that Lucas was doing so well. "I think you've got a nice room to see."

Lucas put on a mock scowl, but before he could make a smart comment, he saw Luka come out of the ambulance bay with a smile on his face, "Lucas, I'm glad I got here in time," Luka said cheerfully.

Pointedly ignoring the wheelchair, Lucas climbed out of Dr. Gallant's car and was very surprised when Luka wrapped his arms around him, "You're looking much better," Luka said in a gentle voice.

"I feel much better," Lucas replied, smiling up at Luka. "Do I have to go up there in a wheelchair?"

Luka smiled, "No, but can I come up with you and Doctor Gallant?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"If you want to, since you are one of Lucas's legal guardians," Dr. Gallant replied calmly.

Nodding, Luka put an arm around Lucas and walked inside with his stepson and Dr. Gallant. Nathan was at the desk and immediately came around the desk, much to the amusement of Frank.

"Hey, little bro, I missed you," Nathan said in a warm voice, giving Lucas a hug. "How are you?"

Lucas smiled as Mark came down the hallway and over to one of the phones at the desk, "It's good to see you, Lucas," Mark commented as he picked up the receiver and dialled a number. "Excuse me."

"Let's get you upstairs and settled in," Luka commented gently. "Nathan, is it your break yet?"

Nathan looked to Frank questioningly and Frank nodded, "Go on," Frank said in a cheery voice.

"Thanks," Nathan smiled, eager to spend time with his stepfather and brother. "See you in a bit."

* * *

><p>"Doctor Malucci, right?" Dave heard a dark, very familiar voice ask from behind him. "Remember me?"<p>

Grateful that Daniel was already back at school, Dave turned and saw that Steve had been following him quite closely, "I'm Sam's husband," Steve snarled darkly, glaring at Dave. "Where'd you hide them?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dave lied sharply, slowly taking a step back away from Steve.

Steve chuckled and cracked his knuckles, "You got in my face at the hospital, pretty boy, and I know you've got her and Alex hidden somewhere," he hissed, putting his hands around Dave's throat.

Fighting the urge to gag, Dave shoved Steve away and ran as Steve steadied himself. Unfortunately, Steve caught him pretty quickly around the waist and forcibly dragged him into the nearest dark alley where he threw the smaller doctor into brick siding and stamped hard on the fallen man's chest.

Deeply unsatisfied that Dave was conscious and struggling to get up, Steve grabbed a piece of wood that was sticking out of a dumpster and repeatedly struck various parts of Dave's very thin body with it.

Panting and fighting not to throw up, Dave struggled again to get to his feet, but his foot was smashed by the wood, causing the wood to break, "Do you ever quit, Malucci?" Steve hissed, grabbing Dave by his ankle and dragging him down the alley towards a part of the river. "You really get on my nerves."

At the edge of the river near the shadowy part of a bridge where nobody could see what was going on, Dave lunged forward and bit Steve hard on the wrist and quickly earned a sharp punch in the jaw for his trouble, "Get out of my sight, you trash," Steve hissed angrily as he lifted Dave effortlessly above his head and threw him into the river under the bridge. "I'll find Sam and Alex without any help from you."

As Steve ran off, Dave sputtered and coughed anxiously as he struggled to keep his head above water even though he couldn't move one foot. Ignoring the pain that radiated through his whole body, Dave slowly doggy paddled to the edge of the water and gripped the bridge with his shaking hands, struggling to stand steadily enough on one foot that he could hobble to a pay phone and phone for help.

Gritting his teeth, Dave leaned heavily on the Bridge and slowly limped across it towards a pay phone he could see on the other side of the river. Dave only had enough change for one call and knew that he needed an ambulance, but he had little idea where he was and how long he would remain conscious.

* * *

><p>"…You're not much of a mother, Jen, if you can't see that Rachel's been sneaking to parties in other states!" Tony saw Mark yelling anxiously as he led a shaken Sarah past the desk. "Send Rachel here…"<p>

Tony sighed and was about to suggest to Sarah that they go out for a meal when Shep, who had been assigned to work with Tony as part of his continued anger management therapy, came strolling out of the lounge with a Styrofoam cup full of coffee in his hand, "Tony, what's up?" he asked quietly.

"We've got to drop Sarah off at my place on our way out," Tony replied calmly. "She needs to rest."

Shep shrugged and gestured out the door, saying nothing as he followed Tony and Sarah out to the parked ambulance, "…Unit 36, a call in from a police officer at Riverside," a voice suddenly said.

"Right, we'll answer it after we drop her off," Shep grunted as he walked around to the driver's side.

John sighed heavily as he came down the steps into the mansion's foyer with Abby and Maggie at his heels, "I feel like I should go try to talk to Dave on his break," he said in an anxious voice. "I know he might not listen, but I've got to try. I mean, I have a brother that I never knew about before."

Abby nodded, gently rocking Maggie as she fell asleep, "Do you want me to come?" she asked softly.

"I thought you weren't comfortable going to the ER because of what happened?" John asked in a concerned voice as he turned to face his wife. "I'd love you to come, but if it makes you…"

Abby smiled, "I was, but I found myself over that when we adopted Maggie and I spent all that time there with you during your recovery," she replied gently. "I can always ask Jack if he'll babysit."

"My dad's out, but we can always take her along and you can chat with the nurses," John replied in a reassuring voice as he grabbed his, Abby's, and Maggie's coats from the coat hook. "Ready?"

Abby nodded and quickly put coats on her and Maggie, "I hope you and Dave come to some sort of peace about this, John," she replied softly. "It's a new situation, but I really hope it can be found."

"Me too," John replied anxiously, opening the door. "It shouldn't take us long to get to County."

* * *

><p>Officer Grabarsky sighed as an ambulance with sirens pulled up on the grass near the phone booth where Dave had collapsed in the middle of a call to Daniel's school that he had decided to make after phoning 9-1-1, "The paramedics are here now, it's all right," he said in a reassuring voice.<p>

When Dave didn't reply, Officer Grabarsky turned around and saw that Dave had passed out against the telephone box and he quickly noticed a medical ID badge clipped to the pocket of the scrubs Dave had chosen to wear that day, "What have you got?" he heard Tony call out in a concerned voice.

"A Doctor Dave Malucci from County ER," Officer Grabarsky replied in a concerned voice. "Wow."

Tony's eyes widened as he quickly recognized Dave, "Oh, man," he said in an anxious voice as he knelt beside Dave and examined the damage done to his teacher. "What exactly happened to him?"

"I was doing patrol and I found him at the pay phone in the middle of a call," Officer Grabarsky reported as Shep came running with a medical bag and a backboard. "He suddenly collapsed to the ground, but didn't pass out until just before you guys got here. I'm not sure what happened to him or why."

Tony nodded and sighed as Shep broke out the supplies, "Looks like Doctor Malucci somehow ended up in the water," he said in a concerned voice. "Would you mind calling County for us about this, Officer?"

"My wife works there, so I don't mind calling," Officer Grabarsky replied softly. "Is he gonna be okay?"

Tony shrugged as Shep quickly slid a backboard under Dave and fastened a C-collar around his neck, "Let's get him in the ambulance and we'll work as we go," he said in a commanding voice. "Let's move!"

* * *

><p>The ringing phone woke Amy and she grabbed the receiver as she sat up, "Hello?" she asked groggily.<p>

Amy frowned as she heard the voice of someone from Daniel's school explaining that Dave had called saying that he had been seriously injured and needed someone to pick Daniel up, "All right, I'll come as soon as I can," she said in an anxious voice as she slowly got off the bed. "Thanks for calling. Goodbye."

Her heart pounding in her ears, Amy hung up the phone and hurried downstairs to the playroom where Erinn, Katie, and Joe were, "Erinn, Katie, Joe, we need to get in the car and go get Daniel from school," she said in an anxious voice as she grabbed her purse and keys off the table. "Uncle Dave got hurt."

"I thought Grandpa was working today?" Erinn asked softly. "Is someone gonna tell him about it?"

Amy nodded as she got Joe out of the playpen, "Once we pick up Daniel, we're going to go by the hospital and see if Uncle Dave is okay," she said in an anxious voice. "We just need to be calm."

* * *

><p>"…I'll let Ray know that he's got a meeting with you, Doctor Romano, and I next time he comes in," Kerry said in a concerned voice, frowning as she noticed a sudden flurry of activity in the admit area. "Bye."<p>

Confused as to what was going on, Kerry silently travelled down the hallway and frowned when she saw Luka, Mark, and several nurses prepping a crash cart and supply cart while they were gowning up and putting on gloves as if there was a real crisis coming, "What's going on?" Kerry asked worriedly.

"Officer Grabarsky called in and said that Gates and Sheppard were bringing an assault victim in," Luka spoke in a solemn voice, giving Kerry a look as he filled out a blank chart. "It's Doctor Malucci."

Kerry's eyes widened in shock, but was prevented from speaking because the ambulance pulled up and everyone swarmed into action, surrounding the gurney as Tony and Shep pushed the semi-conscious Dave into the ER and down the hallway, "…Where'd you find him?" she asked anxiously as she hurried into the trauma room where Dave was being worked on. "Why did Grabarsky call it in?"

"That cut on his forehead's gonna need stitches," Mark commented as he gently touched the massive cut on Dave's forehead, watching as the nurses cut the clothes off and Luka removed the shoes and socks, revealing a badly swollen, twisted, and bruised left ankle. "Get some warmers in here."

As everyone worked, they failed to notice Nathan come down the hall with his arms full of paperwork and stop to watch them, "I-Is that Doctor Dave?" he asked in an anxious voice. "What happened?"

"Look at the footprint on Doctor Malucci's chest," Haleh commented softly. "Who did this?"

Realizing that Nathan was terrified at seeing Dave in such a condition, Luka looked at him, "Go upstairs to Doctor Romano's office and tell him what happened," he instructed in a calm voice. "Okay?"

Nodding, Nathan backed up and bolted off down the hallway, "Be sure to take photos and bag up the clothes as evidence for the police," Mark instructed in a commanding voice. "Get the portable x-ray machine in here and we'll get full body x-rays. Do we have a set of vitals yet? We need some."

"I'll see if Officer Grabarsky's here yet," Tony said in a somber voice, swallowing hard so he wouldn't throw up as he left the trauma room and walked down the hall to the desk. "Frank, did the police happen to make it here yet? The doctors are working on Doctor Malucci and preserving evidence."

Frank sighed and shook his head, "Cops aren't here yet," he replied softly, obviously trying to hide the fact that he was very shaken about Dave being beaten up. "I saw Nathan run off upstairs a bit ago."

"Doctor Kovac told Nathan to tell Doctor Romano," Tony explained quietly. "Anything I can do?"

Frank sighed heavily, "I'm not sure, Gates," he replied softly. "I have to wait for the police to get here."

Nodding, Tony silently walked over to a row of plastic chairs and sat down, deeply relieved that he had thought to drop Sarah off at home before answering the call. He was now troubled, however, about the fact that Sarah had gotten involved with a medical student and was now pregnant and distraught.

As Tony sat there, he lowered his head and couldn't help but feel as if he were carrying the entire world.

* * *

><p>Amy gazed around at the colorfully decorated common area of the learning center where Daniel spent his school days, deeply relieved that Erinn had stationed Katie and Joe at a table that was full of crayons, coloring books, and small toys, "Auntie Amy?" Amy suddenly heard a curious voice ask softly.<p>

"Daniel," Amy said as she turned and saw Daniel standing there with his backpack. "Are you finished?"

Daniel nodded and frowned, "Where's my dad?" he asked in a worried voice. "Why isn't he here?"

"Daniel, your dad got hurt and the school asked me to come pick you up since I'm listed as a person to call if your dad can't be reached," Amy replied softly. "We can go to the hospital right away if you want."

Daniel was quiet for a moment, "This is because Alex and his mom were staying at our house, isn't it?" he asked in a sad voice. "I heard Alex's mom telling Alex last night that they were gonna leave."

"Alex and his mom were staying with you and your dad, Daniel?" Amy asked in a concerned voice, unsurprised that Dave would offer room for Sam and Alex when they needed help. "For how long?"

Daniel sighed and nodded, prompting Amy to give him a hug, "How about we go to the hospital now?" she asked softly. "I'm not sure we'll get to see your dad, but we can find out how he's doing."

"Okay," Daniel replied softly, staying close to Amy as they went to grab Erinn, Katie, and Joe.

* * *

><p>Much time had passed and Dave was now in a gown, his body adorned with IV's, warming blankets, and a pulse-ox clip while Luka silently sutured the laceration on his forehead and Haleh made sure that a pillow was underneath Dave's splinted ankle, "When are those x-rays going to be back?" Luka asked, not looking up from his work just in case Dave woke and tried to move. "Has anyone called the O.R.?"<p>

"Generally, Doctor Kovac, the O.R. likes to have x-rays and consent before they operate on people," Dr. Romano spoke in a concerned voice, waving Dave's chart as he approached the unconscious man. "Fortunately for you, I can provide consent, but I'd like to sit with Dave until the x-rays come back."

Even though Luka was confused as to why Dr. Romano wanted to stay, he nodded silently and continued with the suturing, "Dave just moved his hand," Dr. Romano suddenly spoke up in an anxious voice.

Just as Luka looked up from his work, Dave's eyes slowly opened and he promptly coughed, wincing as he did so, "Get a mask over here right now," Dr. Romano barked, his eyes focused on Dave's.

Lydia promptly did and Dr. Romano grabbed it, gently easing it over Dave's nose and mouth, "Breathe deeply and slowly," he said in an unusually soft voice. "I know you just woke up, but it's all right."

As Dave did so, Kerry came into the room and didn't say anything, "Kerry, make it clear that anyone who comments on this will be fired at my personal request," Dr. Romano barked. "Feeling better, Dave?"

"Y-yes," Dave whispered in a shaky voice as he pushed the mask away. "Everything really hurts."

Dr. Romano nodded and quietly whispered in Dave's ear, but Dave shook his head, "No, I wasn't," he spoke in a faint voice, trying to ignore the pain he was feeling. "I would say if I was. I promise."

"Okay," Dr. Romano replied quietly. "Does anyone have an update on Doctor Malucci's x-rays?"

Silence filled the room and Dr. Romano sighed, causing Kerry to note that he was being a lot more gentle with Dave than he was with anyone else at the hospital, "I'm really tired," Dave whispered, not wanting to admit that he was in pain and he would rather sleep than be awake and in great pain.

Just then, Mark came back into the room followed by an anxious looking Peter, who was carrying a large folder full of x-rays, "I got paged and decided to grab the x-rays on my way down," Peter explained, his eyes widening slightly as he saw Dave on the gurney and Dr. Romano beside him. "What happened?"

"Peter, now's not the time to play detective," Dr. Romano barked sharply. "What do the x-rays say?"

Exchanging a look, Mark and Peter put the x-rays up on a lightboard and studied them for several moments, "Your sternum's cracked, five ribs are broken, and you've got a bad fracture to your ankle, but I'm not sure you'll need surgery for it," Peter said in a calm voice. "Were you knocked out at all?"

Dr. Romano frowned as Dave paled and began to wheeze softly, so he placed a stethoscope on Dave's chest, "You two idiots better get some chest tubes now!" he barked angrily. "Pneumothoraxes."

Peter swore and Mark scrambled to get some chest tubes while the nurses set things up, "S-stomped on my chest," Dave whispered in a faint voice as he closed his eyes, hissing as his gown was removed.

"Can you manage this or do you want me to?" Peter asked quietly as Dr. Romano prepared work.

Dr. Romano glared at Peter and proceeded to work, "Greene, get the other chest tube in," he barked.

Within minutes, both chest tubes were in and Dave sighed, "Daniel?" he asked in a groggy voice.

"I'm sure the school called Amy," Dr. Romano spoke softly. "We'll get you into a private room."

Luka silently finished the sutures and gently bandaged Dave's forehead, "I'll see where we can put Doctor Malucci so he can get some rest," Mark said in a reassuring voice. "Just try and rest."

"Chief, can you please cast my foot?" Dave asked softly, noticing that Kerry was still there.

Kerry nodded, "I can," she replied softly, sensing that Dave didn't want anyone else to do it.

Nodding, Dave struggled to relax and prayed that he wouldn't have any pain while he rested.

* * *

><p>Amy sighed softly as she settled Erinn, Katie, Joe, and a worried Daniel on the couch in the lounge with a DVD and it was then that she noticed Officer Grabarsky helping himself to a coffee and a few doughnuts, "Officer Grabarsky, I assume you're here about Doctor Malucci?" she asked in a concerned voice.<p>

"Doctor Greene told me to wait in here until I could talk to Doctor Malucci," Officer Grabarsky replied in a somber voice, taking a sip of coffee. "I'm not sure why a nice guy like Malucci would get beat up."

Daniel looked at Officer Grabarsky, "My dad let Alex and his mom stay with us because Alex's dad wasn't nice to them," he said in a quiet voice. "Alex's mom and Alex left our apartment this morning."

"Officer Grabarsky, I need to talk to you," Amy spoke up as she slowly stood up. "About the situation."

Daniel silently focused his attention on the DVD while Amy led Officer Grabarsky over to a corner of the lounge where they could talk quietly, "Nurse Sam Taggart and her son, Alex, were staying with Dave and Daniel because her ex beat them up and they came here for help," Amy explained in a distressed voice. "I was Sam and Alex's physician of record and Doctor Malucci kept their charts at his place, but brought them back and put them in the files. It shouldn't be too hard for me to find the charts for you."

"I'd appreciate that," Officer Grabarsky replied calmly, noting Amy's stomach. "Are you up for that?"

Amy sighed, "Erinn, watch Katie, Joe, and Daniel, please," she replied. "I'll be back in a minute."

With Officer Grabarsky on her heels, Amy strode out of the lounge and silently began looking through the files under the desk, "Frank, do you still have the charts of that mother and son Doctor Malucci and I worked on a few days ago?" she asked in a commanding voice. "I'm a little too big to crouch down."

While Frank and Amy looked for the chart, John and Abby came in with Abby carrying Maggie, "Frank, have you seen Doctor Malucci?" John asked, frowning at seeing Amy there. "Hey there, Amy."

"I'm covering for Doctor Malucci, Carter," Amy replied in a distressed voice. "He's not available."

John sighed, "I really want to talk to Dave about what we both just found out," he replied softly.

"I understand, John, but Dave's really not available," Amy replied in a concerned voice as a tired looking Mark came down the hallway. "Doctor Greene, do you have any updates on Doctor Malucci yet?"

Mark looked equally surprised to see Amy, but he composed himself quickly, "Doctor Weaver and Doctor Kovac are moving Doctor Malucci to an Exam Room, but Doctor Romano and I had to put chest tubes in too," he explained calmly. "He's also got broken ribs, bad cuts, and a fractured ankle."

"I explained things to Daniel and I can take him home with us tonight," Amy replied calmly. "I also had a conversation with the police and I'll brief you later. Any idea where Nathan got to?"

Mark sighed, "Nathan's helping settle Doctor Malucci in a private room, I think, since Doctor Romano told him to get something to eat while we worked on him," he replied calmly. "Want to see him?"

"I'd like to see him," John piped up anxiously. "Why exactly is Dave a patient down here?"

Amy sighed heavily, "You can come ask Dave yourself if you want, Carter, but I don't know if he'll talk to you," she replied softly. "Abby, would you mind sitting with the kids in the lounge for a little while?"

Abby nodded and Amy silently led Carter down the hallway without saying a word to anyone else.

* * *

><p>In the exam room, the only light on was above the bed and Dr. Romano silently sat at Dave's bedside while Dave gravitated between sleep and being awake, well aware that he was attached to an extra machine because of chest tubes. Haleh was also there, silently checking the machines and ready to spring into action if Dave or Dr. Romano asked for anything. Luka lingered silently by the door with an arm around a very shaken Nathan, who was deep in shock about what had happened to his mentor.<p>

The door opened and both Amy and Carter came into the room, "Carter, what are you doing here?" Dr. Romano asked in a sharp, but quiet voice. "This isn't a good time to bring that DNA thing up to Dave."

Carter said nothing as Amy silently approached the bed, "Hey, Dave, how are you feeling?" she asked softly, smiling when Dave opened his eyes. "I got Daniel from school and he'll be at my house tonight."

Dave nodded and sighed, "Steve was so much bigger and beat the crap out of me before throwing me in the water," he said in a faint voice. "Sam left some money and a note thanking me for my help."

"Dave, you don't always have to be the hero," Amy spoke softly, gently patting his hand. "Okay?"

Dave sighed softly, "I can't help it," he replied softly as the door opened and closed. "Daniel?"

Luka frowned and Amy turned to see Daniel silently wander into the room, "Hey buddy," Dave said in a quiet voice, sighing as Daniel peered at his ankle, which was in a cast and propped up on a pillow. "I have to be here for at least a few days, but Auntie Amy is going to take care of you, okay?"

"I'll cover your shifts, Dave," Amy spoke up softly. "You do day shifts and I can always put Joe in daycare since Erinn and Katie will both be in school. It will also give me a chance to see Lucas during breaks."

Dr. Romano nodded, "I'll arrange it with Anspaugh," he replied calmly. "Now, I think everyone had better say goodnight to Doctor Malucci and clear out of here because he does need to rest."

"Love you," Daniel whispered, gently hugging Dave and smiling when Dave whispered 'I love you' back.

As the room quietly cleared out, Dave slowly drifted into a deep sleep with hopes of pleasant dreams.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please read and review!<strong>_


	13. Simple Joys and Heavy Burdens

_**July**_

"An overnight pass?" Lucas asked in a hesitant voice as he sat across from Dr. Gallant in the common area of the children's psychiatric ward. "Do you really think I'm ready to be home overnight?"

Dr. Gallant nodded and smiled, "I think you've been doing really well," he replied in a cheerful voice, hoping to get Lucas to smile. "I heard your family is going to some sort of baseball game tonight?"

"Yeah, I guess doctors from County and paramedics play softball every Fourth of July," Lucas replied in a quiet voice, gazing up at Dr. Gallant from his shoes. "Since Mom can't play, Dad asked Nathan and I if we could play for the ER team, but I don't work there. I feel kinda funny playing since I don't work there…"

Dr. Gallant said nothing, so Lucas continued, "I'm still trying to make sense of things," he said in a shaken voice, his expression uneasy. "There's still stuff I haven't told Mom and I can't tell anyone."

"Like what?" Dr. Gallant asked softly, giving Lucas a concerned look. "You can trust me, Lucas."

Lucas was quiet for a moment and sighed, "I was six when we came back to Chicago and Elton visited my mom one night," he spoke softly, looking at the floor. "Erinn was in the room that she and my mom shared, but my mom was up cleaning while Nathan and I were getting ready for bed. Elton broke the door down because he was drunk and he got really rough with my mom for almost an hour. Nathan and I tried to kick him out, but Elton was too big and he really got rough with us before he finally left."

"Rough as in…?" Dr. Gallant guessed in a concerned voice, wondering what Lucas was referring to.

Tears filled Lucas's eyes and he cried softly all over the floor for several minutes, "Can I have a nap?" he finally asked in a toneless voice, not looking up at Dr. Gallant. "I really don't feel very good."

A sickening feeling came over Dr. Gallant as he walked Lucas back to his room, "Lucas, do you mind if I talk to your mom and Doctor Kovac about this?" he asked softly. "They're down in the ER today, right?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied softly as he laid down on his bed. "I just want to be alone for a little bit."

Dr. Gallant nodded and silently left the room so that Lucas could sleep and cry in privacy.

* * *

><p>"It's really quiet right now, Dad," Daniel commented softly as he followed Dave, who was still on crutches, into the ER foyer and saw Jerry asleep at the desk. "How long do you work today?"<p>

Dave sighed, "People will want to take off early to go to the ER softball game, so I'm going to work so others can play," he replied in a calm voice. "You've got soccer later this morning, though, so I hope I can talk Doctor Greene into taking you since Ella is on your team. I'll try and get there for the game."

"And then we'll go get ice cream on the way back to the hospital?" Daniel asked hopefully.

Dave nodded, "Ice cream it is," he promised sincerely, taking a seat at the desk. "Jerry?"

"Oh, Doctor Malucci, sorry," Jerry apologized as he woke up and saw Daniel standing beside the desk in a soccer uniform while Dave sat at the desk with his crutches in hand. "I didn't know you were on."

Dave nodded, "I called Doctor Amy Kovac this morning and said I was going to work my shift today," he replied in a calm voice. "I may not be very fast on my feet yet, but I can still be a good doctor."

Jerry nodded just as Luka, who had been there since three working on charts and sharing breakfast with Lucas, came out of the lounge, "Dave, Daniel, it's good to see you," he commented in a calm voice.

"Luka, did Amy mention that I called last night?" Dave asked in a concerned voice. "If she didn't, I…"

Luka nodded and smiled briefly as he watched Daniel take a seat at the desk and plucked a book of medical pictures out from under the desk to read, "Amy got your call and she also wants to know why you were looking at apartments when she was over the other day," he whispered in a quiet voice.

"The rent increased in the building Daniel and I live in and I've been out of work for four weeks," Dave replied in a concerned voice. "I don't want to move back to the crappy neighborhood we were in last year, but with the tuition for the upcoming school year, fees for the soccer league Daniel's in, food, and clothes, it's really getting tight. Maybe by winter, we can be caught up enough to live somewhere…"

Luka frowned, "I got a letter from the landlord about the rent increase this morning and anyone who can't meet the new rent will be evicted," Dave spoke in a low voice. "Please don't tell anyone."

"Amy said you should ask for help from Doctor Romano because he would help you," Luka replied softly.

Dave sighed and gazed at Daniel, "I know, but I've already asked for too much," he said quietly, silently pulling charts up from under the desk. "Between the whole thing with Carter, being attacked by Sam's ex, and this, I feel like I can't be mooching off of everyone. I have to take responsibility myself, Luka."

Before Luka could reply, Dr. Gallant came strolling down the hallway, "Doctor Kovac, I'm Doctor Gallant and I'm helping Lucas during my Pysch rotation," Dr. Gallant said, quickly recognizing Luka. "Do you have a few moments to talk about something concerning Lucas? He said that he was keeping a secret…"

Dave suddenly looked visibly uncomfortable, but he said nothing as Dr. Gallant led Luka away from the desk and the two talked quietly. He knew what Lucas had probably said, but he wasn't going to tell anyone and he especially wasn't going to reveal that he was the doctor who helped them afterwards.

* * *

><p>"Mister Barnett, I have to say I'm disappointed," Dr. Anspaugh commented in a stern voice, ignoring the glare that Ray was giving him, Dr. Romano, and Kerry. "You were warned about association with minors and yet you managed to get a girl pregnant who was in treatment and threatened another patient just because he found out about what you were doing. You're set to begin at Mercy in September, right?"<p>

Ray nodded, but said nothing, "Fourth year medical student, right?" Kerry asked sharply, glaring daggers at Ray. "That means you should possess the maturity to know not to fraternize with minors."

"I know a resident who smokes weed and you're bringing him on in September," Ray snorted.

Dr. Romano's eyes widened slightly, "I've already been made aware of Archie Morris by Doctor Banfield and he'll be on mandatory drug testing during his time here," Dr. Anspaugh replied calmly. "I'm also aware of the report that Doctor Malucci submitted with his concerns about your professionalism."

"Doctor Malucci submitted a report on me?" Ray asked in a shocked voice. "Why did he do that?"

Kerry looked annoyed, "Doctor Malucci was your supervisor," she snapped. "Did you forget that?"

"I ended up mugged at that joke of a clinic they had last year," Ray snapped. "That was after…"

Kerry sighed, "That was when Amy was kidnapped by that scum that's now in prison again," Dr. Romano grumbled, his eyes on the papers in front of him. "Tell me why you shouldn't join him, Barnett."

"Sarah said she was 18," Ray hissed. "I only found out at the treatment center that she wasn't."

Dr. Romano rolled his eyes, but said nothing, "I'll be talking to Doctor Banfield about whether you really are fit to do your fourth year at Mercy," Dr. Anspaugh replied sternly. "I suggest you think about it."

Nodding, Ray swallowed hard and stomped out of the board room, nearly running into Neela, who was coming out of the surgeon's lounge after arriving at work, "Oh, excuse me," Ray said, grinning at how cute Neela was. "What's your name, miss? You look too cute and too young to be a surgeon here."

"I'm a Mrs., firstly," Neela replied in an uneasy voice. "I'm Doctor Neela Rasgotra-Gallant, a surgeon."

Ray scowled, "Does that matter?" he asked, looking at her dark hands. "I don't see any ring."

"I take it off when I'm working," Neela replied frostily, hiding her hands so Ray couldn't see them.

Ray smirked and Neela glared at Ray, "My husband actually works here, so I would stay away from me if I were you," she said in an uncomfortable voice as she walked away. "Besides, I know who you are."

"Whatever," Ray muttered, glaring at Neela's retreating form as he headed towards the elevator.

* * *

><p>Chase giggled as he felt Amy's stomach, "I feel something moving in there!" he chortled cheerfully as he followed Amy and Jeanie down a path in the park. "Jeanie says that you're gonna have a baby, Amy."<p>

"I'm going to have two babies, Chase," Amy replied gently. "How have you been doing?"

Chase smiled, "I got to visit Doctor Dave when he was recovering at home," he replied eagerly. "I might get to help him at Daniel's soccer game later, but John also wants me to hang out with him tonight."

Jeanie smiled, "What are you doing tonight, Amy?" Chase asked in an eager voice. "Are you busy?"

"Luka, Nathan, and Lucas are going to be playing in the ER docs versus paramedics' softball game tonight and I'm going to watch with Erinn, Katie, and Joe since I'm too big to play," Amy replied pleasantly, smiling at Jeanie. "You should come, Jeanie, and bring Chase. I think it would be fun for both of you."

Jeanie smiled, "I might come if there's time after I do my rounds at the clinics," she replied softly.

"I hope I can watch the fireworks tonight," Chase replied eagerly. "I got too tired last year."

Amy chuckled and her eyes brightened as she saw Abby sitting on a blanket that was spread out on the grass while Maggie played with toys on the blanket, "Hi Abby, Maggie," Amy said in a gentle voice.

"Hi Amy, I thought I'd take advantage of the beautiful weather," Abby said calmly. "Maggie likes it."

Amy nodded, "I'm going to be taking the kids to the softball game later, but Nathan's looking after Erinn, Katie, and Joe at the house until Luka can get back there with Lucas," she replied in a calm voice. "Lucas is out on an overnight pass, so they house will be plenty full and I'm loving every moment of it."

"That's wonderful," Abby replied happily. "John's off shopping for things for us for tonight."

Amy sighed and Chase's stomach rumbled, "I'm hungry, Amy, and Jeanie," he said in a soft voice.

"Well, so am I," Amy spoke up in an encouraging voice. "Let's find somewhere to take care of that."

As Amy and Jeanie led Chase away, Abby gently tickled Maggie and sighed as the small girl giggled.

* * *

><p>Luka sighed heavily as he knocked on the door to Lucas's room and then opened it slightly, his eyes filled with compassion as he saw Lucas asleep in his bed, "Lucas?" he asked softly. "Are you awake?"<p>

"Dad?" Lucas spoke in a groggy voice as he woke up and saw Luka there. "Did you talk to him?"

Luka nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, "Doctor Gallant said that you told him that Elton abused you when you were six," he spoke softly. "He said that Elton attacked your family one night…"

"Mom was knocked out right away because she tried to hit him," Lucas replied. "She doesn't know."

Luka was silent for a moment, "It just made me angry and Nathan tried so hard to get me to tell Mom, but I told Doctor Dave when he came to help us," Lucas spoke softly, not sitting up. "I got real mad at him for a while and when Ray and Sarah gave me those drugs, I just started to feel better."

"I think you should talk to your mother and to the police about this because Ray can be charged for giving you drugs," Luka spoke softly. "Doctor Gallant thinks that this is the reason why you…"

Lucas slowly sat up, "Do you think anyone will be mad at me for not telling sooner?" he asked softly.

"Dave wishes that you had," Luka spoke softly. "He apologized to me for not doing more to help."

Lucas swallowed hard, "Can I go apologize to him?" he asked softly. "He doesn't need to feel bad."

"If you feel you need to," Luka replied softly. "I think Dave is pretty forgiving, though."

Nodding, Lucas slowly got out of bed and gathered some things he wanted to take with him.

* * *

><p>Grateful that she had taken a bit of tequila in her orange juice with breakfast, Eleanor silently entered the ER and saw Dave talking with Doctor Weaver, who was holding Henry, at the desk, "…If you want to go watch the game with Daniel, Doctor Malucci, I can always get a babysitter for a few hours to cover…"<p>

"Chief, really, I'm all right working tonight since I'll be using some of my break to see Daniel's soccer game this afternoon," Dave replied calmly as Daniel read quietly beside him. "He's excited for it."

Seeing that Dave was determined to work, Kerry nodded, "Doctor Romano's also elected to work tonight since he apparently hates softball," she replied gently. "Has Carter contacted you at all?"

"I have my mail sent to my box at work and I've gotten it, but I'm not sure what to say," Dave replied calmly, gazing at Kerry nervously. "I'm sure he'll try to visit me at work to talk about it, though."

Before Kerry, who felt that Carter was being pushy with the excessive letters, could reply, Eleanor tapped the desk and Dave frowned, "Dave, do you have a moment to chat?" she asked in a slightly slurred voice, prompting Dave and Kerry to realize she was drunk. "I've wanted to talk with you for so long about this, but I didn't know how you'd feel about that. John and Barbara are so angry with me."

Daniel's eyes widened as Eleanor gazed at him briefly before looking back at Dave, "You look so much like your father, but you have little bits and pieces of me in your face," Eleanor spoke drunkenly, tears coming to her eyes as she came around the desk. "I've ached about what I did every single day, Dave."

Before Dave could move, Eleanor wrapped her arms around him and cried softly into his shoulder, causing Dave to wince at the alcohol on her breath, "Who's the strange lady, Daddy?" Daniel asked softly, his eyes wide. "Doctor Weaver, my dad looks really like he's not liking being hugged."

"Ma'am, why don't we just go sit down over here?" Kerry asked firmly as she gently eased Eleanor away from Dave and over to an empty wheelchair. "How much did you have to drink this morning, ma'am?"

Eleanor glared at Kerry, "My name is Eleanor Carter," she snapped. "I came to talk to my little Dave."

"Um, I think she could use a banana bag and some fluids," Dave spoke softly, trying to compose himself.

Kerry nodded and Dave picked up a blank chart from the desk, "I'll set her up in Exam Two if you'll just keep an eye on Daniel for me," Dave spoke in a soft, but anxious voice. "I would also like a nurse."

As Dave wheeled Eleanor off down the hallway, Kerry looked at Haleh, who nodded and took off after Dave and Eleanor. Letting out a sigh, Kerry reached for the phone to see if she could contact Carter.

"Doctor Weaver, that woman was scary," Daniel spoke in a worried voice. "Who is she?"

Kerry sighed, "You'll have to ask your dad, Daniel," she spoke softly, not sure how to explain it.

* * *

><p>Rachel swallowed hard as she knocked on the door to the house where the hospital's records said the Kovac-Romano family lived. She had been forced to help around the ER by her dad as part of her punishment for sneaking off to parties and being sent to Chicago and her desire to see Nathan had prompted her to break into the private files. She knew that Nathan might not be happy to see her.<p>

The door opened and Nathan frowned and promptly blocked the door, "Yes?" he asked coldly.

"I've moved back in with my dad and Elizabeth and I wanted to see how you were," Rachel spoke.

Nathan sighed, "I'm babysitting Erinn, Katie, and Joe," he replied coldly. "Can't have friends over."

"I just wanted to talk to you about what happened with Lucas," Rachel replied softly. "I don't know why he ended up at that party with Sarah, Ray, and I. Ray gave him some stuff to calm him down and I…"

Nathan scoffed, "I'm not comfortable talking to you," he replied softly. "Honestly, Lucas ended up almost dying because you let Ray and Sarah be stupid. I really think you need to leave right now."

"Nathan, please," Rachel said in a whiny voice. "I mean, Sarah got pregnant and I got sent here…"

Nathan frowned, but said nothing, "Sarah got kicked out of the center because Lucas told on her and Ray," Rachel explained anxiously. "I came to see if you could maybe say that Lucas was under stress…"

"Please go away or I will call your father or Doctor Corday and tell them that you're at my house," Nathan replied frostily as he pushed the door closed and locked it, leaving Rachel alone outside.

* * *

><p>Soft snores filled Exam Two as Eleanor laid on the gurney, having passed out from drinking too much tequila-orange juice mixes while Haleh and Dave hooked her up to IV's and a monitor. While Haleh stood near the bed, silently checking things over, an emotionally numb Dave lingered by the door.<p>

The door opened and Dave turned to see Elizabeth standing in the doorway, "Can I help you, Doctor Corday?" he asked softly, wondering why she was there to see him. "I'm just with a patient."

"It's about time for Daniel and Ella to go to the field for the practices and warm-ups that they have had before every game," Elizabeth explained, concerned as to why Dave looked so rattled. "Are you okay?"

Dave sighed, "I found out last month that I had been adopted out at six weeks and that Carter and I share the same biological mother," he replied tonelessly. "I was also beat up badly on the same day."

"Mark told me about that and I'm wondering how you're doing, by the way," Elizabeth replied softly, peering at the crutches Dave was using and struggling to keep his foot off the ground. "Are you okay?"

Dave shrugged and sighed heavily, "I should probably sit down after this patient's settled," he replied in an anxious voice as he adjusted his arms. "Thanks so much for taking Daniel. I don't have a car, so I…"

"It's not a problem," Elizabeth replied calmly. "How are you planning on getting to the game?"

Dave sighed, "I'll probably take the EL since there's a station near the field," he replied calmly.

"Doctor Malucci, the patient's resting comfortably," Haleh spoke up. "If you'd like a break…"

Swallowing hard, Dave nodded and left the room and as he returned to the desk, he was surprised to see Lucas talking softly with Daniel and Ella while Luka and Mark watched, "Doctor Dave, can I talk to you?" Lucas asked softly, spotting Dave and Elizabeth. "I don't want to talk in front of everyone, okay?"

Dave nodded and led Lucas over to a quieter area and as the two talked, Luka silently went over to the phone and dialled his home number while picking up the receiver, "Nathan, hi," he said in a soft voice, smiling as he answered the phone. "How are things going there? What? Rachel came by the house?"

Both Mark and Elizabeth frowned, but said nothing as Luka nodded and sighed, "You did the right thing by sending her away," Luka said softly. "I should be home with Lucas shortly, so we'll play a game…"

Another phone rang and Jerry quickly answered it, "ER," he said anxiously. "Doctor Malucci? Phone call."

Dave whispered something to Lucas and Lucas nodded, keeping quiet as Dave walked over to the phone and took the receiver, "Doctor Malucci here," he said calmly before going very quiet and somber.

"Lucas, are you ready?" Luka asked softly, walking over to Lucas. "Everyone's anxious to see you."

Lucas nodded and smiled as Luka led him out of the ER, "We'll need to talk to Rachel about her behavior after the game," Mark said in a concerned voice. "Ella, Daniel, are you two ready to get going?"

Dave sighed as he hung up the phone and scribbled something on a sticky note pad that Jerry kept near the phones, "I'll be there in time for your game, Daniel," he said calmly. "Have fun and I love you."

"Love you too, Dad," Daniel replied softly, waving to Dave as he left with Mark, Elizabeth, and Ella.

Kerry frowned, "Doctor Malucci, are you all right?" she asked softly. "Who was wanting to talk to you?"

"Grabarsky says that they found Steve," Dave spoke softly. "He's being charged with not only attacking me, but also repeatedly abusing Nurse Taggart and the son they had. Steve's being kept in custody until the hearing in August, but he'll probably be sent back to jail based on all the evidence that they have."

Kerry nodded, "Do you want to take a break for a bit?" she asked softly. "I can cover here for a bit."

"I'll take my break when I go to Daniel's game," Dave replied in a tired voice. "I'll just work on charts."

Even though Kerry was reluctant to leave Dave alone when he obviously needed a friend, she nodded and silently moved to the door with Henry, "I'll be back this afternoon," she called out as she left the ER.

Dave sighed heavily and leaned on the desk briefly before he picked up the phone again and dialled a number, "Doctor Romano, it's Doctor Malucci," he spoke softly. "I was wondering if you had time to talk?"

* * *

><p>"Sam, telephone," Chuny said in a soft voice as she came into the room in her house where Sam and Alex had been staying hidden for the past month and saw that Alex was playing a video game. "It's important."<p>

Nodding, Sam left the room and answered the phone in the living room, "This is Sam Taggart," she said into the phone, concerned when the caller introduced himself as a police detective and said that Steve was now in custody and would most likely be charged at a hearing in August or September. "Thank you."

The caller said goodbye and Sam sighed as she hung up, "Steve's been caught and locked up," she said in an anxious voice. "I think I might see if I can go work some hours today since there's bills to be paid."

"I'm off, so I can look after Alex if you don't want to take him," Chuny offered in a reassuring voice.

Sam nodded and smiled, "Alex, I'm going to work to try and get a few hours in so we can pay some bills," she called out in a calm voice. "Chuny's going to be here if you need anything. Is that all right with you?"

"Yeah, Mom," Alex replied from the bedroom, not wanting to come away from his game. "Love you."

Sam sighed softly, "Make sure Alex eats the lunch on the schedule," she said softly. "If his sugar…"

"I've got it," Chuny replied encouragingly. "Go to work and maybe take personal time after."

Sam nodded and silently gathered her things before she left the security of Chuny's nice home.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe your mom showed up at the ER drunk," Abby commented, holding Maggie close as she followed Carter into the ER and to the desk where Dr. Romano and Jerry were working quietly.<p>

John sighed heavily, "Doctor Romano, Doctor Weaver called my phone and left a message that my mom showed up here after having too much to drink," he commented softly. "Is she well enough to go home?"

Dr. Romano shot a look at Jerry and Jerry looked at Abby, "Hey, Abby, are you or Maggie hungry?" Jerry asked nervously. "I think there might be something in the lounge that you or her might enjoy."

Realizing that Dr. Romano wanted to talk to John alone, Abby nodded and followed Jerry into the lounge, "Your mother is sleeping off her drunken stupor in Exam Two after Doctor Malucci gave her a banana bag, fluids, and made her comfortable despite the fact that she severely violated his personal space," Dr. Romano said in a stern voice, glaring at John. "He told me that she came in here and pretty much forced herself on him with all these comments about how she regretted giving him up and how he looked like his father except for his eyes. Tony Malucci is the LAST person Dave ever wants to hear or talk about."

"Is Tony Malucci Dave's father?" John asked anxiously. "The man my mom had an affair with?"

Dr. Romano scoffed, "I would hardly call Tony Malucci a fit father for ANYONE," he replied in a disgusted voice. "Anyway, Doctor Carter, I sent Doctor Malucci on a break, but your mother's not ready to go yet."

"Can I at least see my mom?" John asked in a concerned voice. "How much did she have to drink?"

Dr. Romano sighed impatiently, "Enough to make an idiot of herself and enough to make Doctor Malucci need a break," he replied sharply. "I know your life has been very comfy up to this point, Carter, and I'm aware that you are trying your best to adapt to this situation. Just know that Dave works differently."

"Doctor Romano, how do you know so much about Dave?" John asked in a confused voice. "How long…?"

Dr. Romano was quiet for a moment, "I've been a foster care advocate ever since I got out of medical school and that advocacy included taking in the occasional foster child," he replied sternly. "Now, I'm not going to go into particulars, but just know that I've seen my fair share of severely mistreated children."

Before John could reply, Dave came into the ER with a two wrapped sandwiches in his crutch-filled hands, "Hi," Dave said quietly, seeing that John was there. "Doctor Romano, thanks for the break."

Dr. Romano nodded and smiled as Dave set a wrapped sandwich down on the counter, "Lunch," Dave said in a calm voice, pointedly ignoring John. "I figured you wanted something healthy."

"Thank you," Dr. Romano replied calmly, taking the sandwich. "Doctor Carter is here about a patient."

Swallowing hard, Dave turned to face John, "John," he said in an anxious voice. "Eleanor's fine."

"I didn't know she was going to come here drunk, but she wanted to see you," John replied anxiously.

Dave sighed, "I got and read all the letters you sent me while I was recovering," he replied in a voice that told Dr. Romano that he was struggling to be diplomatic about the situation. "I'm just not sure what to say about all this except I think we should perhaps share stuff about ourselves with eachother at some…"

"Why don't you join Abby, Maggie, and I at the game tonight?" John suggested in an anxious voice.

Dave set his sandwich on the counter and shifted his grip on his crutches, "I'm working because that's something I can do since I'm on crutches for at least two more weeks," he replied calmly. "Besides, I'm using my afternoon break to check out Daniel's soccer game and then we're going out for ice cream."

"How about I come back here around dinner, then?" John suggested. "It's supposed to be a festive day."

Dave shrugged and silently moved around the desk to an empty chair that was within arm's-reach of his sandwich just as Abby and Maggie came out of the lounge with Jerry, "If you would like to come back later, you are certainly welcome to," Dave replied politely. "I'm really trying to get used to this, John."

"Is your mom ready?" Abby asked softly, giving John and Dave a confused look. "What are you two doing?"

John sighed, "John and I were just talking," Dave commented softly. "We're getting to know each other."

"Well, John, why don't you hang around for a bit and wait for your mom?" Abby suggested softly. "I can always take Maggie and the party supplies back home. You and Dave can talk while Eleanor sobers up."

John was silent for a moment and nodded, "I'm just going to work on charts and restock things since we're short on both docs and nurses because of the Fourth," Dave replied in a neutral voice. "I'm not able to play or do much on this ankle, so I can free people up who can do things today. Are you up for that, John?"

"Yeah," John replied eagerly, happy that Dave seemed to be giving him a chance. "Where do we start?"

Dave looked to Dr. Romano briefly, "What needs doing around here?" he asked in a nervous voice.

"Just take Doctor Carter on a walk around the ER with you and whatever you need, I'm sure Doctor Cater will be more than happy to get it for you," Dr. Romano replied calmly, giving John a look as he unwrapped his sub sandwich. "I think going for a walk is a good way for newly found brothers to develop a bond."

As Dave hobbled off with John at his side, Dr. Romano looked at Abby, "It's been a while since you've been here, hasn't it?" he asked calmly. "You and Carter were in Africa for a while before he got sick, right?"

"I'm not overly comfortable being here," Abby admitted quietly. "Especially when Luka's on."

Dr. Romano nodded, "I believe Luka is very happy with Amy and all of their children, but I'm very well aware that he's still got a bit of anger towards what happened between you two," he commented in an unusually concerned voice. "Kovac's stubborn, but don't let his attitude affect your happiness, all right?"

"So, you're not angry with me?" Abby asked in a confused voice. "I thought I wouldn't ever…"

Dr. Romano chuckled softly, "Please, most of the medical staff have better things to do than dwell on what people did in the past," he replied softly. "Anyway, just don't let Kovac shake your confidence."

"Thank you," Abby replied softly as Maggie yawned. "Oh, I should probably take her home."

Dr. Romano nodded and began to eat his sandwich as Abby left with Maggie, mulling over his words.

* * *

><p>Luka smiled as he opened the front doors and led Lucas inside before closing the door, "Nathan, Erinn, Katie, and Joe will all be happy to see you," he commented softly. "Your mother is out with Jeanie and Chase on a walk in the park. Your mom will be back in time for us to all go to the softball game."<p>

"I'm really glad to be away from hospitals," Lucas commented softly as he followed Luka into the family room where Nathan, Erinn, Katie, and Joe were all watching a movie. "Hey guys, how are you?"

Noise filled the family room as Nathan, Erinn, and Katie mobbed Lucas with hugs while Luka went over to the playpen and picked Joe up, "I'm just home til tomorrow," Lucas spoke softly. "I miss all you guys."

"Come on, Lucas, Mom made your room all nice," Katie said anxiously, tugging on Lucas's sleeve.

As Katie and Erinn dragged Lucas off upstairs, Luka looked at Nathan, "Lucas told Doctor Gallant and I about what happened when you were younger," Luka spoke softly. "About when Elton hurt all of you."

"I'm glad Lucas finally talked about it," Nathan replied calmly. "I begged him to for years."

Luka nodded and Nathan sighed heavily, "Rachel came by and tried to convince me to get Ray off the hook for what he did to Sarah and Lucas," Nathan explained in a distressed voice. "Apparently, Sarah is pregnant with Ray's baby and Lucas is the one who reported Ray's trespassing. I asked her to leave."

"Do you need to lie down?" Luka asked softly, seeing Nathan was distressed. "You look worn out."

Nathan nodded, "Go lie down for a bit and I'll make lunch for everyone," Luka commented gently.

"I think I just need something to eat," Nathan replied in a tired voice. "I'll be fine after that."

Luka nodded and led Nathan and Joe into the kitchen, "Just sit at the table with Joe and I'll prepare lunch," Luka said, depositing Joe into his highchair before going to the fridge. "Take deep breaths and relax."

* * *

><p>Nearly two hours later, Dave and John returned to the desk and found Dr. Romano talking with Kerry while an embarrassed looking Eleanor sat in a wheelchair near the desk with an IV in her arm, "Doctor Carter, it seems that your mother is ready to leave," Kerry said in a calm voice. "Doctor Malucci, I got a babysitter for Henry and I'll relieve you so you can see Daniel's game. Did you get a lot done this morning?"<p>

"Yes," Dave replied calmly, pointedly ignoring Eleanor as he hobbled to the exit. "Thank you."

Kerry nodded as Dave left, "I was going to offer Dave a ride, but he left before I could," John commented.

"You'd better not be driving your Jeep," Dr. Romano spoke up. "Dave won't ride in ANY Jeep."

John frowned and briefly looked confused, "Dave and his wife were in a Jeep the night of the accident and stabbing that killed his wife," Dr. Romano reminded him. "Jeeps give Doctor Malucci panic attacks."

"I bought a car not long after I got out of the hospital that was safe for a car seat," John replied calmly.

Dr. Romano nodded, "I imagine that it's hard to handle crutches on those steps that lead up to the EL Platform," he said in a calm voice. "As long as your mother keeps quiet, Dave might accept a ride."

"Mom, just wait here a few moments," John said as he hurried out the door, through the bay, and down the street to where Dave was slowly struggling to get up the steps to the EL platform with his crutches, which was proving very difficult to do with only one good foot and the small crutches. "Dave, wait!"

Dave turned and nearly fell down the steps in the process, losing one crutch as he gripped the railing and accidentally smacked his casted foot against the metallic steps, "I can drive you to Daniel's soccer game," John offered, frowning as Dave's face filled with pain. "My car's parked just outside the bay and Abby and Maggie either got a cab or took the EL. You can ride up front and Eleanor can rest in the backseat."

John quickly offered Dave his crutch and Dave nodded, "Thanks," he replied in a reluctant voice.

"I'm sorry about Eleanor," John spoke as Dave eased back down the stairs. "I didn't know that…"

Dave nodded and followed John back down the street to a large car that was parked near the entrance of the ambulance bay, "It's not a Jeep," Dave spoke softly, eyeing the car. "There's a carseat in the back."

"I sold the Jeep and bought a more family-friendly car," John replied as he unlocked the doors.

Swallowing hard, Dave reluctantly allowed John to open the front passenger door for him and sighed as he saw Kerry wheeling Eleanor out to the car, "Thanks," Dave said in a tired voice, slowly getting inside.

Not wanting to talk to Eleanor until she was sober, Dave pulled the door shut and silently fastened his seatbelt while Kerry and John helped Eleanor into the backseat and buckled her in. Once Eleanor was settled, John got into the driver's seat and Kerry silently returned the wheelchair back to the ER.

* * *

><p>The sun shone brightly down on Peter as he walked on to the field where a soccer coach was leading several kids including Reese, Daniel Malucci, and Ella Greene in a pre-game practice that was slowly winding down because game time was very soon. At the recommendation of Dr. Meyers, Peter had chosen to take the afternoon off for personal time and keep his focus on something other than what happened.<p>

To Peter's surprise, he suddenly noticed Amy, Jeanie, and a child-like looking man walking across the grass towards the group, "Jeanie, Chase, I'll be just a minute," Amy said in a gentle voice. "Coach, a word?"

While Amy talked with the coach, Jeanie and Chase wandered over to Peter, "Hi there, Peter," Jeanie commented in a soft voice. "Chase, this is Doctor Benton. Doctor Benton, this is Chase Carter."

"Oh, hi," Peter replied, realizing that Chase was Carter's cousin. "I'm here watching Reese play."

Jeanie nodded and Chase promptly sat down on the grass, "I'm tired, Jeanie," he spoke softly.

Peter's gaze travelled over to Amy, who was talking quietly with the coach, "What are you doing tonight, Jeanie?" he asked in a confused voice, looking back at Jeanie. "There's a softball game tonight."

"I might come after Chase and I have dinner," Jeanie replied calmly. "Are you going to the game?"

Just then, Amy wandered over to Jeanie, Chase, and Peter, "The coach said that Lucas can rejoin the team in the fall when they switch to indoor soccer," Amy said in a tired voice. "Lucas is probably home by now, so I should really get going to the EL. Jeanie, Chase, I have to get going, but will you two be all right?"

"Are you going to be all right going home alone?" Peter asked in a concerned voice. "I mean…"

Amy sighed patiently, "I will be all right, Doctor Benton," she replied calmly. "It's a short walk to the house from here and exercise is very good for pregnant women. Thank you for your offer."

As Amy walked off across the field, Peter sighed heavily, "I'm feeling a bit of guilt because I keep seeing Amy rushing down the street towards Cleo and I, trying to help us," he spoke softly. "I'm in counseling."

Jeanie nodded and her eyes narrowed in confusion as she suddenly noticed Carter holding the door of a very nice car open as Dave climbed out of the front passenger seat with his crutches, "…Thanks for the ride, John," Dave said in a tired voice. "You should probably take Eleanor home to sleep that off."

"Do you want me to come back to pick you and Daniel after the game?" John asked in a worried voice.

Dave sighed and hobbled across the grass with John at his heels towards the bleachers, "I'll just take the EL back to the hospital," he replied calmly as he sat down on the bottom bench. "Thanks for the ride."

"You almost fell trying to get to the platform before," John replied worriedly. "That could happen again."

Dave shrugged and John sat, "Eleanor will be fine in the backseat for a while," John said in a supportive voice as he sat down on the bleachers next to Dave, smiling as he noticed Mark and Elizabeth on the grass, quietly talking to each other as they watched Ella play with the team. "I don't mind sticking around."

* * *

><p>Grateful that the EL ride hadn't taken too long from Chuny's, Sam silently entered the ER and found Kerry at the desk, "Nurse Taggart, hello," Kerry said in a calm voice, smiling at Sam. "How have you been?"<p>

"I've been keeping Alex and I safe," Sam replied softly. "Good news, though. Steve was found, arrested, and is going to be charged with multiple things. I thought I'd come in to see if I could work a bit today."

Kerry nodded, "As long as you don't mind working with Doctor Malucci later on, you're welcome to put in a few hours," she replied calmly. "He's just using his break to attend his son's soccer game, but he'll be the Attending on this evening since a lot of people are going to the ER vs. paramedics' softball game."

"Doctor Malucci's back to work already?" Sam asked worriedly. "It's only been about four weeks."

Again, Kerry nodded, "Doctor Malucci's on crutches, but he's able to work and Doctor Romano's also around here somewhere," she replied calmly. "We're slow right now, but that can always change."

Before Sam could reply, Tony came in to the ER looking tired, "Paramedic Gates, do you need anything?" Kerry asked, quickly recognizing Tony as a pending fourth year student. "I thought you were off today."

"Sarah is grounded to the house, but she's got bad morning sickness and won't eat anything," Tony explained in a concerned voice. "I brought her in, but she doesn't want to come inside the ER."

Kerry frowned, "Sarah, your daughter, is pregnant?" she asked, suddenly realizing that Sarah was the girl that Ray had gotten pregnant and hadn't dealt with. "Mister Gates, do you know Ray Barnett well?"

"Only a little," Tony replied anxiously, frowning as Sarah came in. "Sarah, I thought you didn't want…?"

Sarah scoffed, "Tony, seriously, I don't feel well," she spoke softly. "Did you get some medicine for me?"

"Sarah, this is Doctor Weaver," Tony spoke gently. "She can take a look at you and prescribe anything that she feels is appropriate for your condition. I am still a medical student and my privileges are limited."

Sarah nodded and stalked off down the hallway with Kerry at her heels, "I didn't know you had a daughter?" Sam asked in a confused voice, gazing at Tony. "How come she hasn't been around?"

"Sarah and a friend of hers hung out at this party in Rogers Park with a medical student and they ended up almost killing Lucas Romano-Kovac by overdosing him," Tony replied somberly. "Lucas spent some time in treatment and Sarah was there too, but the med student broke the rules and they had intimacy."

Sam frowned, "Where's Sarah's mother at?" she asked softly. "Why isn't she taking responsibility?"

"Sarah's mother died last year of a drug overdose," Tony replied softly. "I've been doing my best."

Sam nodded, "I'm a single parent too," she replied softly. "Alex is at home today."

"Since you're here, Gates, why don't you and Nurse Taggart help me with Sarah?" Kerry called out.

Sam and Tony exchanged a look before they hurried down the hallway to where Sarah was.

* * *

><p>Sighing tiredly, Amy entered the house and saw that both the family room and foyer were empty, "Luka, Nathan, Lucas, Erinn, Katie, Joe?" she called out as she put her coat on the rack and took her shoes off.<p>

There was silence and then Luka came out of the kitchen, "I brought Lucas home and we all had lunch before I sent all the kids upstairs for naps," he said in a kind voice, kissing Amy. "I told them that if they were going to stay up late for the game and fireworks, they needed to have a nap this afternoon."

"Is there any lunch left over?" Amy asked in a tired voice as she wandered into the kitchen and saw that food for sandwiches was still left out on a plate. "I talked with Lucas's coach and he said that Lucas can rejoin the team for their indoor soccer season in September if he wants to and is feeling up to it."

Luka nodded and watched Amy help herself to turkey, cheese, and cucumbers without even bothering to look for bread, "Lucas said that when he was six, Elton roughed all of you up pretty badly," he commented.

Amy was silent for a moment and sighed, "I had a feeling something wasn't right after I woke and saw Dave there and then Dave told me once the kids were in bed," she replied softly. "Doctor Gallant must be doing well in his rotation if he got Lucas to trust him enough to talk about anything concerning Elton."

Luka looked confused and Amy smiled, "Doctor Gallant's working at County in a Psych rotation right now because it's one he couldn't get in Africa," she explained gently. "He did his medical school at County, apparently, and went to Africa once his internship was done. That's where he met his wife, Neela, and she's a surgeon at County right now until the fall. "By the way, I heard from the correctional facility the other day and a Doctor Brenner from Northwestern tried to push Elton into requesting visits from the children, but I told them that's not happening. I've forgiven Elton, but he's not going to see the kids."

"Have you really forgiven him?" Luka asked softly, a confused expression on his face. "After Elton almost killed Nathan, kidnapped Katie, and is putting you through stress, have you really forgiven him?"

Amy nodded, "It took a lot of counseling, but I learned that Elton is nothing because of the choices he has made and not because of me or any of the kids," she replied gently. "This isn't about Elton at all, is it?"

Luka said nothing, so Amy sighed, "You're still angry about what happened to Joe and you want to know why I found it easy to forgive when you can't," she stated softly. "Let me tell you that forgiveness wasn't easy, but it's very possible and you won't find peace with the situation until you can forgive it."

Amy silently returned to getting food and when she looked up again, tears were in Luka's eyes and his face was ashen, "Luka?" she asked in a concerned voice. "If it's too sensitive a subject for you, we can…"

"No, you're right that I need to forgive," Luka replied softly, walking over to her. "I don't know how to because every time I look at Joe, I think about how he almost died and how my anger is slowly killing me."

Amy turned and gently embraced Luka with both a hug and kiss before she silently took his hand and led him upstairs to their master bedroom, "I think you should get some rest, Luka," she said in a soft voice as she helped Luka lie down and sat beside him. "I'm a little tired too, so I may join you for a bit."

Nodding, Luka nestled close to Amy and closed his eyes and Amy gently stroked his hair and listened to his relaxed breathing. She was truly grateful that someone as gentle as Luka had come into their family along with Joe.

* * *

><p>Storm clouds were gathering outside as Dave hobbled into the ER with Daniel, who was tired and dirty from his soccer game and saw Tony sitting at the desk working on bookwork, "Gates, what are you doing here on July Fourth?" Dave asked in a concerned voice. "I thought you had the day off today?"<p>

"My daughter's sick and I'm waiting for Doctor Weaver to finish up with her," Tony replied softly, not looking up from the medical textbook he was reading. "Sarah got mad at me, so I'm waiting here."

Dave nodded and sighed, "Daniel's team won today and we got ice cream on the way back," he said in a proud voice, smiling at Daniel. "I'm going to cover for Doctor Weaver while she goes to the game."

Tony nodded, "Sheppard was talking about going, but I'm going to either be here or at home," he replied calmly. "I brought a study book with me so I'd have something to do while Sarah was looked at…"

"Ah, Doctor Malucci, Daniel, you got back here quickly," Dr. Romano commented as he came down the hallway looking unamused, "Gates, we're admitting Sarah overnight because she's dehydrated and very aggressive, but I would be that way too if I got involved with some overage punk rocker idiot."

Tony nodded and sighed heavily, "Does she want anything from home?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Kerry sedated her because she was being aggressive," Dr. Romano replied calmly. "Kerry also wants to know if you want to press any charges against Ray since Sarah is underage and Ray is an adult."

Tony looked visibly uncomfortable about pressing charges against Ray, "I don't know if I want to press charges because it might mess up Ray's chances of becoming a doctor, but I'd prefer he stay away from Sarah and from any of her friends," he replied softly. "Ray's a nice guy, but he's very immature."

"Ray will not be doing his fourth year here," Dr. Romano replied calmly. "He's been switched to Mercy's program and we'll be getting a couple of residents named Pratt and Morris starting in September. You, Gates, will be supervised by Doctor Malucci since you gave each other such wonderful evaluations."

Before Tony could reply, Dave looked at Daniel, "Do you want me to phone Auntie Amy and see if you can go to the game with them tonight so you can see the fireworks?" Dave asked softly, leaning heavily on his crutches because his foot was starting to hurt. "I'm sorry I have to work, but it's so others can be there."

Daniel gently gave Dave a hug, "Dad, it's okay that you can't go," he said softly. "You like helping everybody and that's totally cool. I'm really proud of you for caring so much about me and other people."

"I'll call Doctor Kovac, okay?" Dave replied softly, patting Daniel's hair. "I want you to have fun today."

Daniel nodded and Dave hobbled over to the phone, "I'm going to go check on Sarah," Tony said softly, impressed by how gentle and patient Dave and Daniel were with each other. "See you later."

As Tony walked off, Dave looked at Daniel, "You can watch TV in the lounge if you want to," he said in an encouraging voice, smiling as Daniel nodded and went to the lounge while Dave dialled Luka's number.

Dr. Romano silently listened to the conversation and sighed when Dave hung up, "Dave, how long has it been since you've taken time for yourself outside of raising Daniel and working here?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I know you had some sort of friendship with some doctor while you were in Africa."

"Doctor Magdalynn Rogers, the one who delivered the little girl that John and Abby adopted," Dave replied softly. "The baby girl's mother had HIV and the baby got off scot free, which is good. When I donated that kidney to John, I said I got a letter from Africa saying that Magdalynn was missing, but…"

Dr. Romano frowned as Dave became very quiet and swallowed hard, "Dave, Dave, sit down," he said in an anxious voice, seeing that Dave was either going to faint or get sick. "Don't say another word."

Nodding, Dave hobbled around the desk and sank into a chair close to Dr. Romano, "From what I understood the letter to say, Magdalynn went back to the clinic in Matenda to retrieve the body of Maggie's biological mother with a nurse," he spoke in a trembling voice. "Some soldiers were there…"

Dr. Romano gently placed his real hand on Dave's arm, "This is upsetting you, so I want you to wait awhile before you go into it," he commented in a gentle, but firm voice. "Pratt and you did your residency together before he traipsed off to Africa and got married to that doctor that used to be with John, right?"

"I think it will be interesting for Greg to be here," Dave replied. "He was such a good friend at Mercy."

Dr. Romano nodded and Dave sighed, "Maybe in the fall, I'll consider taking time to socialize a bit," he said in a calmer voice. "John stayed at the game and helped Daniel and I come back here, but then he went to take Eleanor home. John invited Daniel and I to have dinner with him, Abby, and Maggie next week, though, so maybe the situation won't be awkward. We agreed to take this all slow…"

"I'm guessing it will take until the fall for you to catch up on finances that you were deprived of during your four weeks of medical leave?" Dr. Romano asked quietly. "I tried to get the hospital to give you pay during your medical leave, but they're kinda stubborn about the money thing. Are you two okay?"

Dave nodded, "There's a bit in savings and I've constructed a budget for summer expenses that should hold things steady until the fall," he replied softly. "Besides, I know how to do without for Daniel's sake."

Dr. Romano sighed, but said nothing, "Luka was asleep, but Amy said she'd come by and get Daniel for supper and the game," Dave said, quickly changing the subject. "She tried to talk me into coming, but I need to work and earn a little money so that Daniel and I don't end back up in the downtown slums. I, uh, should really go spend some time with Daniel while it's slow. I don't think it will be too slow later on."

"You underestimate your worth, Dave," Dr. Romano spoke softly as Dave silently walked off to the lounge.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Illinois Correctional Facility<em>**

Elton chuckled softly, stretching his leg out on the bench where he was using small hand weights as he watched a bruised up Steve come into the prison exercise yard looking sour, "How did you get back here?" he asked in an amused voice. "I believe you were out on parole not too long ago, weren't you?"

"Malucci hid my wife and son from me and I beat him up for it," Steve hissed angrily. "Very badly."

Elton looked amused, but didn't say anything, "Somehow, the cops found out it was me and brought me here to wait for a hearing," Steve grumbled as he sat down. "The day that I went to County ER looking for Sam, Doc Malucci and this blonde chick named Amy who looked pregnant dared to stop me from…"

"Amy's pregnant again?" Elton hissed, his eyes wide. "Last I heard, she married some foreign guy."

Before Steve could reply, a guard came out into the yard with a nervous looking man at his heels, "Prisoner Douglas, Doctor Pratt sends her apologies, but she was busy today and sent me to talk to you," the man said in a cheerful voice as Steve got up and moved a few feet away. "I'm Doctor Simon Brenner and I'm on a Psych fellow right now while I'm looking for a more permanent position. I've come to talk about…"

"I'm not in a very good mood right now," Elton replied softly, infuriated that Amy was so happy.

Dr. Brenner was quiet for a moment and nodded, "When you're feeling up to it, I've come to talk about your upcoming assessment before a judge," he spoke softly. "It's not til the end of the year, but Kem thought it would be useful to talk a bit about it now so you could be prepared to deal with the stress."

"Listen, Brenner, the biggest piles of stress in my life right now are Amy, Nathan, Lucas, Erinn, Katie, the foreign creep Amy married, and Doctor Dave Malucci," Elton hissed angrily. "We can talk another day."

Too stunned to speak, Dr. Brenner nodded, silently turned, and made his way out of the exercise yard.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please read and review!<strong>_


	14. The Fragility of Life and Reality

**_September_**

**_Chicago, Illinois_**

Coughing filled the air and Dave frowned, gently rubbing Daniel's back as he covered his young son with his coat and held him close as they walked up the ambulance bay together. Even though Dave wasn't scheduled to work until later that day and he had planned to meet John, Abby, and Maggie for breakfast, Daniel had barely been able to wake up this morning due to tiredness and lethargy, which had been happening for several days and Dave had done all he could before he finally knew to take him into the ER.

"I'm so tired, Dad," Daniel spoke groggily as they entered the ER. "Why am I not feeling good today?"

Dave sighed and silently led Daniel over to an exam bed after letting them both into the ER, "Just hop up on the bed and I'll get a nurse," he said softly, sighing as Daniel climbed on to the bed. "I know it sucks."

Daniel nodded and laid down, "Doctor Malucci, it's early," Dave suddenly heard a gentle voice say.

Swallowing hard, Dave turned and saw Amy standing there in scrubs and sneakers with her belly protruding outward and her hair up, "You did an all-nighter?" he asked in a concerned voice, frowning.

"I thought I'd give Luka the chance to be at home with the kids at night for a few days," Amy replied softly, giving Dave a reassuring smile. "Besides, the babies like to kick at night and I might as well stay awake and active as much as I can as long as it's not super busy. I like that he's there to protect the children."

Dave nodded and Amy frowned as she looked at Daniel, "Are you not feeling well, Daniel?" she asked softly, smiling at Daniel as she approached the bed. "Why don't you and your dad tell me what's up?"

"Daniel's been very tired, has had a fever, and hard to wake up for the last several days," Dave explained in a concerned, but gentle voice, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I thought it was the flu or something similar, so I kept him home from school and gave him fluids, but this doesn't seem to be going away."

Amy nodded, "I'll start off by getting a nurse and getting some blood if you want to do vitals," she said in a professional voice, hoping Daniel was all right. "Do you want me to call anyone while I'm getting stuff?"

"No, I'll take care of it," Dave spoke softly. "We were gonna have breakfast with Carter and Abby today."

Amy sighed, "I know," she replied gently. "Just sit here with Daniel and I'll arrange everything, okay?"

As Amy walked off, Dave grabbed the receiver off the phone closest to the bed and tentatively dialled John's number, "Hi, John, this is Dave," he said softly. "I'm sorry, but I have to cancel on breakfast…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mercy Hospital<strong>_

"Ray Barnett?"

Scoffing, Ray looked up from the book he was reading and was surprised to see a dark-haired woman in scrubs and a white coat standing in front of him, "I'm Doctor Banfield," the woman said in a curt voice.

Nodding, Ray got to his feet, "I'm glad you wanted to talk to me about helping me out," he spoke in a humble voice, crossing his arms. "I was afraid that after what County had to say, my chances would be…"

"I'm aware," Dr. Banfield replied calmly, cutting him off. "I had two residents go to County and because of that, I'm more than happy to take a medical student on as long as they are eager to learn something."

Ray nodded, "You'll be on probation until December and you'll work alongside Doctor Clemente, a newly minted resident who's shown great promise," Dr. Banfield said, leading Ray down the hallway to the desk.

Frowning, Ray remained silent as Dr. Clemente came to the desk with his hand extended, "I'm Doctor Clemente," he said in a cheerful voice, smiling until Dr. Banfield walked away to leave him with Ray.

"Look, Barnett, Elton Douglas is my cousin and said you had contact with Amy," Dr. Clemente hissed.

Ray's eyes widened in fear, but Dr. Clemente grabbed his wrist to keep him from running, "He told me to get as much information as I could about County, but they were full on staff so I got accepted here instead," he said in a dark voice. "Do you have to go to County for anything in the next few weeks?"

"I'm not going to County," Ray replied coldly, having no desire to share information with anyone connected to Elton after he had been injured at Amy's clinic. "I've come to Mercy to start fresh."

Quickly realizing that he would need to befriend Ray or follow him around to get information about County for Elton, Victor nodded, "Ah, it was a dumb thought anyway," he said apologetically. "I've just been on edge since Elton went to prison because I'm the only family he talks to anymore. Anyway, grab a coat…"

Ray nodded, "I'll take you on an orientation," Victor offered, determined to succeed like Elton wanted.

* * *

><p>John sighed as Dave's message ended with an apology, "Dave cancelled on breakfast," he said in a distressed voice, pocketing his cell phone as he looked at Abby, who was holding Maggie as they walked alongside the river close to where they had agreed to meet for breakfast. "Maybe I pushed too hard."<p>

"John, I don't think Dave backed out because he was scared," Abby replied softly. "Give him credit."

John nodded and turned briefly to view the river, "This is still a new situation for both of us, Abby, and I'm really trying hard to be patient, but I just want Dave to trust me," he spoke softly. "I'm gonna help him."

"It honestly doesn't help that your mother showed up drunk at the ER trying to talk to Dave while he was working," Abby commented in a concerned voice. "You have to understand that Dave is going through a lot right now emotionally and all you can do is just be there for him. Have you been to a counselor?"

Before John could reply, the EL stopped at a station on the platform above and the noise drowned out anything else he could say. Several people got off the platform, but John was focused on the river.

Abby, however, spotted a very familiar woman coming down the path in a pair of capris, a t-shirt, and a cream jacket with flat boots, "Doctor Chen?" she asked softly, peering at the approaching woman.

"Abby Lockhart?" Jing-Mei Chen asked softly, peering at Abby, John, and Maggie. "John…Carter?"

John's eyes widened as he turned and saw Jing-Mei there, "Hey, Jing-Mei, I'd like you to meet my wife, Abby, and our daughter, Maggie," he said calmly. "We adopted her from Africa a few months ago."

"Oh, wow," Jing-Mei replied in a pleasant voice, smiling. "I'm just back in Chicago for personal business."

John raised an eyebrow, "I was thinking of swinging by County to say hi to everyone while I was here," Jing-Mei commented pleasantly, frowning as Abby and John exchanged a look. "Don't you work there?"

"It's a bit complicated, but I was thinking of going by County later on anyway," Carter replied anxiously.

Abby smiled, "Why don't you join us for breakfast, Jing-Mei?" she offered gently. "Then we can all go."

"Sure," Jing-Mei replied softly, smiling as she walked alongside John, Abby, and Maggie. "I'd love to."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Cook County General<em>**

"You've been on all night?" Elizabeth, who had also been on surgical call all evening, asked as she spotted Amy working at the desk with a chart alongside her. "I would have thought Luka would have objected."

Amy sighed, "Luka had concerns, but I am just fine," she replied calmly. "Are you just getting off?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Mark had last night off and took Rachel and Ella to a movie last night," she replied in a tired voice. "Thankfully, the O.R. was reasonably slow last night and I got caught up on paperwork."

"I'm on until eight and then Luka will come in after he drops Erinn and Katie at school and Joe at daycare," Amy explained calmly. "Nathan has to work today and he and Lucas will work on school work together for a while. Lucas is going to start back in a few weeks and we got permission to have him do his work here."

Suddenly, Elizabeth looked concerned, "Mark and I were going to have Rachel come by after school until winter to help out, but if you're uncomfortable with her around Lucas or Nathan, I can see that she works somewhere else," she said in a concerned voice. "I understand that she caused quite a bit of problems…"

"It's fine, Elizabeth," Amy replied gently. "Luka and I talked with Lucas and he's extremely forgiving, but I am not going to speak for Nathan. However, Nathan is sensible and will also be respectful to Rachel."

Before Elizabeth could reply, Tony came into the ER looking frazzled and exhausted, "What's that smell?" Amy asked in a concerned voice, smelling a terrible odor. "Mister Gates, do I smell marijuana?"

"There was a red-haired guy in a white lab coat smoking outside by the dumpster," Tony replied quietly.

Elizabeth frowned and looked at Amy, "Exposure to marijuana could hurt the babies, so I'll go and see what doctor's smoking," she said in a calm voice. "Doctor Gates, I believe you're early this morning."

Tony nodded and Elizabeth stormed out into the bay where Morris was smoking marijuana, "Who are you and what do you think you are DOING out here?!" Elizabeth snapped angrily. "Marijuana is illegal!"

"I'm not on until eight," Morris replied, giving Elizabeth a look. "I'm doing my residency here."

Elizabeth tilted her head, "A new resident?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Who exactly are you?"

"Archie Morris," Morris replied, quickly putting the cigarette out. "I did my internship at Mercy."

Elizabeth nodded, "Greg Pratt and I are starting our ER rotations today, but Pratt's probably gonna be here closer to eight since he's got a wife who works at Northwestern," Morris replied calmly. "He's been in the States since summer, but I don't think his wife enjoys Chicago much because she rarely visits here."

"Oh," Elizabeth replied in an uncertain voice, frowning as a man and a woman came walking into the bay.

Morris smiled, "Greg, so you brought Kem to work with you this morning, huh?" he called out happily.

Pratt smiled and Kem managed a half-smile, "I'm Elizabeth Corday, a surgeon here," Elizabeth said, smiling at both Pratt and Kem. "I hear we're getting one of you as a new resident starting today, right?"

"That would be my husband," Kem replied calmly, gesturing to Pratt. "He wanted to work here."

Pratt smiled and strolled into the ER, relieved when he could let himself into the admit area with the ID card that Dr. Anspaugh had given him. He watched as a heavily pregnant female doctor came to the desk holding a chart and briefly talked to a heavyweight desk clerk before going to a curtained off area.

"Hey there, I'm Doctor Pratt," Pratt said as he approached the desk. "Is there anything I can do?"

Frank raised an eyebrow, "Wait for your supervisor to show up," he replied in a gruff voice. "Who is it?"

"I have no idea," Pratt replied calmly. "I was told to come here and ask Doctor Greene about that."

Frank nodded and frowned when the curtained area was opened up, revealing a concerned looking Dave standing next to a gurney that contained a little boy who looked scared while the pregnant doctor talked quietly to them both, "Dave Malucci?" Pratt called out as he walked over to them. "What's going on?"

"Daniel's sick," Dave replied in a stressed voice. "Amy Kovac, this is my friend, Doctor Greg Pratt."

Amy smiled and nodded as Daniel suddenly had a coughing fit, "Oh," Dave said in an anxious voice as he grabbed the oxygen mask off the wall and placed it over Daniel's face. "Take slow, deep breaths."

Daniel did so and sighed softly, "We're going to take Daniel to a private room for a spinal tap and a biopsy to check a couple of things," Amy explained softly, glancing at Dave. "If you'll excuse us, Doctor Pratt."

"Greg, could you please cover for me for a bit?" Dave asked softly. "I need to be with Daniel for now."

Pratt nodded, "Excuse me, why are you taking Daniel for procedures when he has a simple illness?" Elizabeth, who had just come inside and overheard Amy's instructions. "There's no cause for that."

"This bloodwork says there might be," Amy replied in a concerned voice, waving the chart. "Excuse us."

Elizabeth frowned and Dave sighed warily, "It's not so simple, but I don't feel the need to say any more than that," he spoke in an unusually soft voice. "If anyone asks, I'll be in Exam Two with Daniel."

As Amy and Dave rolled Daniel down the hallway, Elizabeth's scowl deepened and Pratt quickly walked over to her, "Look, I've known Dave for a long time and if he says something's wrong, it probably is," he said in a concerned, gentle voice. "I also know Dave is very protective of what happens in his family's life."

"Right," Elizabeth said in a voice of disbelief, intending to call Mark. "Excuse me, I need to get going."

* * *

><p>The ringing of the phone brought Luka to awareness and he slowly sat up and yawned as he grabbed the phone off the stand next to the bed, "Hello?" he asked in a groggy voice. "Oh, hello there, Amy."<p>

Luka listened intently for a few minutes as Amy told him that Daniel was sick and that she might still be there when he got on and then asked about the kids, "I'm just about to wake them all up," he replied.

Amy replied and Luka sighed, "I love you too," he said in a soft voice before the call ended. "Bye."

Sighing softly, Luka set the phone back on the stand and got out of bed, wasting no time in going down the hallway to wake each of his children up. Erinn was in Katie's room and both were nestled under the covers and working on waking up, causing Luka to wonder if Katie had a nightmare about something.

"Erinn, Katie?" Luka asked softly, knocking on the door. "It's time to get up and ready for school."

Katie immediately lifted her head, "Hi Daddy," she spoke softly. "Erinn says she doesn't feel well."

Luka frowned as Erinn lifted her head, "I think I started my period," Erinn spoke in a quiet voice.

"Okay, both of you out of bed," Luka replied in a concerned voice. "Why do you think…?"

Erinn sighed as she got out of bed, "Mommy and Doctor Dave taught lots of classes on different things to less fortunate people and I know that I have it," she said softly. "Can I borrow any of Mommy's pads?"

Luka's eyes went wide, but he nodded and watched as Erinn calmly left the room, "Daddy, I had a nightmare and Erinn heard me crying," Katie explained in a quiet voice. "Nathan and Lucas are outside."

"What did you have a nightmare about?" Luka asked softly, sitting on the end of the bed. "Africa?"

Katie shook her head, "I was dreaming about Nathan getting stabbed because I saw it," she replied softly.

"Oh," Luka replied, frowning as Katie turned and looked out the window. "What are you doing, Katie?"

Katie sighed, "Watching Nathan and Lucas," she replied softly. "They're out in the backyard."

Luka walked over to the window and saw that Nathan and Lucas were both sitting in the backyard sandbox with tools and buckets building what appeared to be a sandcastle, "Lucas was telling Nathan that he didn't get to do that at the hospital during the summer and he wanted to do it before he got cold," Katie explained softly, looking at Luka quizzically. "Nathan thought it would be a good idea to go do it."

Suddenly, Joe's cries filled the hallway, "Oh," Luka said softly. "I've got to go and see to Joe, okay?"

Katie nodded and continued looking out the window as Luka left the room and went into Joe's room, "Hey there, little Joe," Luka cooed as he lifted Joe out of his crib. "Let's say we get you all ready for the day?"

Joe smiled as Luka quickly changed his clothes and diaper before carrying him downstairs where Erinn was helping herself to some cereal, "Did you take care of it, Erinn?" Luka asked softly, setting Joe in his chair.

"Yeah, Dad, I did," Erinn replied softly. "Nathan and Lucas look like they're having a lot of fun out there."

Luka nodded and smiled as Nathan and Lucas came into the house with sand on their jeans, "Dad, Nathan helped me build a cool sandcastle," Lucas said softly. "We took a picture of it with Mom's camera."

Lucas showed Luka the picture and Luka smiled, "Cool," he replied calmly. "What do you want to eat?"

"Pop-Tarts?" Lucas asked softly, looking hopeful. "Mom said I need to fatten up a little bit."

Luka chuckled, "Pop-Tarts for everyone but Joe," he said in a pleasant voice. "Everyone to the table."

* * *

><p>"The fluid looks clear," Amy spoke softly as she held up the vial of fluid for Dave to see. "See?"<p>

Dave exhaled sharply, as he had held his breath while Daniel had been sedated and Amy had done the spinal tap to see what the result would be. The chart with the blood test results was on the portable table and all Dave could do was pray that it would be treatable, but he was ready to face whatever outcome.

"You should really talk to Carter and see if his family has a history of this sort of thing," Amy said softly as she cleaned and bandaged the spot on Daniel's back where she had done the tap. "I know your family…"

Dave sighed, but before he could speak, the door opened and Kerry came into the room, "Doctor Kovac, Doctor Malucci, I just heard from Doctor Corday that you were doing some tests on Daniel over a minor illness?" she asked in a concerned voice, gazing at the three of them. "What exactly are you up to?"

"Take a look at these lab results and you tell me that's a minor illness," Dave replied sharply as he thrust the chart at Kerry and sighed before sitting back in his chair. "I don't want everyone to know about this."

Raising an eyebrow at Dave's sharp tone, Kerry took the chart and frowned as she scanned it, "What are you going to do now?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Do you need any assistance, Doctor Kovac?"

"I'll turn the case over to the other Doctor Kovac when he comes in, I think," Amy replied softly, sighing as Kerry handed the chart back to Dave. "With Doctor Malucci's permission, I want to tell my father."

Dave nodded and sighed as he leaned on the gurney rail, "I'm not working for the rest of the morning at least, but you can call Abby or Carter to take my shift if you'd like," he spoke in a tired voice. "I'm sure either of them would appreciate the shift, but I can't focus on work today with Daniel in this condition."

"I'll take care of it," Kerry replied in a softer voice. "Can I get you breakfast or anything, Doctor Malucci?"

Dave shook his head, "I'll call Doctor Romano for you so you can stay with Daniel," Kerry said softly.

"Thank you," Dave murmured in a tired voice, sighing as Kerry left the room. "I'm so tired."

Amy nodded, capping the vial and putting it in the cart before she looked at him, "I'll go arrange a visit with Oncology if you'd like me to so you can be here when Daniel wakes," she spoke in a gentle voice.

Nodding, Dave rested his arms on the gurney rail and as Amy took the chart and left, he let his eyes close.

* * *

><p>The restaurant was quiet and for that Jing-Mei was grateful, as it allowed her to enjoy the company of good friends to keep her mind off potentially selling her parents' home and everything else of value they owned since she was their sole benefactor. After working for a long time to get her parents out of China so they could be buried in Chicago, Jing-Mei was now left to decide what she wanted to do with herself.<p>

Carter and Abby were sitting across from Jing-Mei while Maggie sat in a highchair next to her, silently waiting and watching while the three adults caught up, "…I'm really grateful that I didn't die or go to jail the night that Joe almost died," Abby, who had decided to share the past with Jing-Mei, said in a remorseful voice. "Luka's got full custody and I'm really fortunate that I got a second chance with John and with Maggie and I'm really happy that Luka was able to find someone else to share his love with."

"You mentioned Maggie was adopted?" Jing-Mei asked softly. "Can I ask how you got her?"

John smiled, "Abby and I went to Africa with Doctors Without Borders shortly after we got married at a Chicago courthouse," he explained calmly. "There was this woman in Matenda who had HIV and was pregnant and after we brought her back to the States, Dave helped us arrange it with Social Services."

"Dave?" Jing-Mei asked in a surprised voice, frowning. "I thought you hated Dave Malucci?"

Abby sighed, "It's a very long story," she replied, sighing as John's phone suddenly started vibrating.

Jing-Mei nodded as John pulled his phone out of his pocket, "Hello?" John asked in a pleasant voice.

Abby blinked, "Besides, I don't hate Dave Malucci," she replied softly. "There's a lot about him that I or anyone else didn't know. John, I, and everyone else were a lot harder on him than we should have been."

"Kerry wants one of us to come in to cover a shift since Dave's suddenly unavailable," Carter suddenly said in a confused voice as he hung up the cell-phone. "Do you want to take the shift or should I?"

Abby frowned, "Is Luka working the day shift?" she asked softly. "Because I don't want it to be awkward."

"Yes," John replied, sighing as Abby went silent and looked at her plate. "I can take the shift, okay?"

Abby's smile returned, "I'll probably take Maggie to the park today," she replied softly. "I meant to tell you that Kerry lined up interviews for me at Northwestern and Mercy. She called me about it last night."

"Wow," John replied in a pleased voice, smiling at Abby. "Do you want me to take Maggie with me?"

Abby smiled, "I can drop her off at County at lunch time," she replied softly. "You sure you don't mind?"

"Do you mind if I tag along to County?" Jing-Mei asked softly. "I'd love to see everyone again and besides, some of my folks left some money to County and I should probably talk to the powers that be about it."

John nodded just as the waitress approached the table, "That would be great," he replied calmly.

* * *

><p>Nearly an hour later, Luka strolled into the ER with Joe in his arms while a well-dressed Nathan and a nervous Lucas walked alongside him. Erinn and Katie had gone to school without any incident and had promised to come to the ER after school while Lucas would stay close to Nathan for Luka's entire shift.<p>

"Can I sit anywhere?" Lucas asked softly, his eyes roaming the desk where Frank was already sitting.

Frank looked up at Lucas with gentle eyes, "Sure," he replied softly. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Lucas replied softly as he took a seat at a chair behind the desk and set his backpack on the desk.

Luka sighed and gently ruffled Lucas's hair, "I've got to run Joe up to daycare, but then I'll come back and help you with your schoolwork, okay?" Luka said in a kind voice. "Nathan can help you til I get back."

"Actually, Luka, I've signed you up for a patient," Amy said, overhearing Luka as she approached the desk.

Luka smiled at seeing Amy and gave her a curious look as she took Joe from him, "The patient is in Exam Two and I think you'll be best for this one," she explained softly. "I'm off and I can take Joe and Lucas…"

"I don't have to stay?" Lucas asked softly, giving Amy a hopeful look. "I can go home with you and Joe?"

Amy nodded, "We can go for a walk in the park if you want on the way," she replied softly. "Come on."

Delighted that he didn't have to stay at the ER all day, Lucas packed up his things and ran to his mother, hugging her and Joe very carefully so he wouldn't hurt them or the babies, "I need to go baby shopping anyway and after that, you can help me with some decorating," Amy said in a gentle voice. "Come on and we'll come back a little later to make sure that Nathan eats and doesn't work himself to exhaustion."

Luka watched as Amy hugged Nathan and left with Lucas and Joe before he turned and walked down the hallway to Exam Two. He entered the room and was surprised to see Dave sitting beside a gurney that held a sleeping Daniel while Dr. Romano lingered at the end of the bed looking very concerned.

"Ah, Doctor Kovac, nice of you to join us," Dr. Romano said in a concerned voice. "I'd like you to sit with Daniel while I take Doctor Malucci on a little walk and page us if Oncology happens to show up."

Luka frowned, "Oncology?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Dave, is there something wrong?"

"Daniel's sick," Dave spoke softly, not looking up from Daniel's form. "I can't talk about it right now."

Luka nodded as Dave stood up and shakily walked over to Dr. Romano, "I think getting you something to eat should be our first priority, Doctor Malucci," Dr. Romano said kindly, quickly taking Dave's arm.

Dave handed Luka the chart as he was led from the room and as Luka silently read the chart, his face fell.

* * *

><p>"Well, Doctor Chen, this is a very impressive amount that was bequeathed to us by your parents," Dr. Anspaugh said in a calm voice as he leaned back in his chair with a letter from Jing-Mei in his hand. "Are you sure, however, that you wish to donate such a sum? As your parents' benefactor, you have the…"<p>

Jing-Mei sighed and nodded, "I have the right to respect their wishes or not," she replied calmly. "Doctor Anspaugh, this grant will give the hospital the ability to hire more doctors, get new equipment, and do some upgrades that I'm sure are probably long overdue. My memories from here are mostly pleasant."

"Well, on behalf of the hospital, I give my thanks and I'll talk to Administration about how this money should be allocated," Dr. Anspaugh said in a calm voice as the door suddenly opened and a teenage girl wearing dress pants, shoes, a dress shirt, and a tan jacket with her hair done up came into the room.

Dr. Anspaugh's eyes widened, "Evette, shouldn't you be in school?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"That student volunteer program starts today, Daddy, remember?" Evette asked in a pleasant voice.

Dr. Anspaugh sighed, "Oh, yes, I forgot that started today," he replied in a calm voice. "Doctor Chen, this is my daughter, Evette. Evette, this is Doctor Chen and she just made a generous donation to the hospital."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Evette replied kindly. "Dad, I got assigned to the ER. Where exactly is it?"

Dr. Anspaugh chuckled, "I'll show you," he replied as he stood up. "Nice to see you, Doctor Chen."

Jing-Mei nodded and followed the two from the office to the elevator. The door slid open and all three individuals were surprised to see Dr. Romano helping a very shaky looking Dave keep on his feet.

"What is going on here?" Dr. Anspaugh asked in a concerned voice. "Doctor Romano, Doctor Malucci?"

Dr. Romano sighed, "I will have a private conference with you later, Donald," he replied calmly as Dr. Anspaugh, Jing-Mei, and Evette boarded the elevator. "Doctor Chen, have you come back to work?" Dr. Romano asked in a curious voice, noting that the former ER doctor was dressed as if she were.

"No, I was just making a donation to the hospital per the request that was left in my parents' will," Jing-Mei replied in a calm voice, frowning as Dave suddenly closed his eyes. "Doctor Malucci, are you okay?"

Dave sighed, "I'm just feeling a little shaky," he replied softly. "I thought Daniel had the flu, so I've been doing everything I can for him for the last few days. He's downstairs with Luka keeping an eye on him."

"Dave, don't blame yourself," Dr. Romano spoke softly, frowning when Dave didn't respond. "Dave?"

A light snore escaped from Dave's lips, "Dave?" Dr. Romano asked, gently poking Dave in the arm.

"Oh, sorry, I must have drifted off," Dave spoke groggily as he woke up. "Sorry about that."

The elevator door opened at the floor where the cafeteria was and Dr. Romano sighed as he led Dave out of the elevator and towards the cafeteria, leaving Dr. Anspaugh, Jing-Mei, and Evette in the elevator.

* * *

><p>Deeply relieved that Steve would be in jail until the hearing could actually happen, Sam silently entered the ER and let herself into the admit area with her staff ID card. She saw that Carter was at the desk, talking quietly with Kerry and Elizabeth while several nurses were gathered at another area of the desk.<p>

"…Why did Dave take himself off the schedule?" Carter asked in a concerned voice. "It's suspicious."

Kerry sighed, "The only thing you need to know, John, is that you are covering Doctor Malucci's shift from eight to four," she replied in a sharp voice. "I know he's your half-brother, but he does have personal business that will remain personal if you've not heard about it from him. Now, please get to work."

"Malucci and Carter are half-brothers?" Elizabeth asked in a shocked voice, her eyes widening in shock.

Sam frowned as she approached the desk, "Doctor Weaver, are there any patients?" she asked softly.

"They're being taken care of," Kerry replied kindly, wanting to keep Daniel from being overwhelmed.

As Sam walked off towards the lounge to put her coat away, Kerry silently made her way down the hallway to check on Daniel and curious about the situation, Carter silently decided to follow after her.

* * *

><p>"Doctor Luka?" Luka suddenly heard a groggy voice say as he silently made notes in Daniel's chart.<p>

Luka looked up from the chart and was surprised to see Daniel looking barely awake and at him through very tired eyes, "Where's my dad?" Daniel asked in a groggy voice. "Did Doctor Romano make him eat?"

"I think Doctor Romano took your dad to the cafeteria," Luka replied gently. "How are you feeling?"

Daniel sighed sleepily, "Really sleepy," he replied softly. "Dad said I had something called leukemia."

"From what results we've been able to get from your tests, it looks that way," Luka replied softly, knowing Dave had struggled but had obviously managed to tell Daniel the truth about his medical condition.

Daniel blinked, "Dad said that I'll have to have some sort of medicine that will probably make me sick, but will kill the bad cells inside my body," he spoke in a tired voice. "Auntie Amy had to do a pro-…"

"A procedure," Luka replied gently, frowning as the door opened and Kerry came in. "Kerry?"

Kerry sighed, "Do you need anything, Doctor Kovac?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Where's Dave?"

"Doctor Romano took him up to the cafeteria," Luka replied, unaware that Carter was nearby and listening to their conversation about Dave. "Daniel's working on coming out of the anesthesia and I promised Dave I'd page him once Oncology got here to talk about treatment options for Daniel's leukemia."

Kerry nodded, "Just stay with Daniel for now," she replied calmly. "Carter's here covering for Malucci."

"Thanks," Luka replied, smiling as he turned back to look at Daniel and saw that Daniel was asleep.

Deeply shocked about what he had just overheard, John silently slipped through the ER and ran to the stairs to go up to the cafeteria. He wanted to talk to Dave about what he had just overheard Luka say.

* * *

><p>"Amy's taken Lucas and Joe home," Dr. Romano explained calmly as he hung up his cell-phone and returned it to the pocket of his lab coat before looking across the table at Dave, who was having a bowl of cereal, some toast, and a tall glass of milk for breakfast. "She will tell Lucas about Daniel's cancer."<p>

Dave nodded and continued to eat in silence, "After you talk to Oncology, I want you to go home or somewhere safe where you can get some rest," Dr. Romano spoke softly. "You need to take a break."

Again, Dave nodded and continued to eat in silence and Dr. Romano was about to speak again when he saw Carter come into the cafeteria and head straight towards them, "Dave, I overheard Luka say to Doctor Weaver that Daniel has leukemia?" John asked in a concerned voice. "I was just wondering if I could help?"

Swallowing hard, Dave shook his head, "It's just that our older brother, Bobby, died of childhood leukemia and I thought I could help you figure out what treatment would be best and what reactions might…"

"Daniel is not going to die," Dave snapped, his appetite suddenly gone. "Please, John, just back off."

Dave stood up to leave, intending to take the food and go up to the roof to eat in silence, but John blocked his way, "I've been through this and I think I can help," he said in an anxious voice. "You don't know…"

Anger crept across Dave's face and he swiftly punched John in the face, forcing John to move aside with a hand over his nose, "Just back off for a few days, Carter," Dr. Romano said as he gathered up the food and hurried to catch up with Dave, who had reached his limit of patience and wanted to get away from John.

For a moment, John stood there, deeply shocked that Dave had just punched him in the face and then, realizing that he could have approached the situation in different way, he silently went to check his nose.

* * *

><p>"I shouldn't have punched John like that, but I couldn't listen to him talk about Daniel dying from this," Dave spoke in a hollow voice, sighing as he sat down on a chair at the desk and watched as Dr. Romano set his food down in front of him. "I won't be surprised if John reports my actions to Doctor Weaver."<p>

Dr. Romano scowled, "John deserved it after making such a crappy comment," he replied snarkily.

Dave sighed tiredly as Nathan came over to him looking worried, "Um, Doctor Dave?" Nathan asked softly.

"Yeah, Nathan?" Dave asked kindly, gazing at the nervous teenager. "What can I do for you, kiddo?"

Nathan sighed, "Doctor Weaver said that Daniel has cancer and asked if I could spell Luka off when it got busy so that you could have a break," he spoke in a concerned voice. "Would that be okay with you?"

"That would be great, Nathan," Dave replied in a pleasant, but tired voice. "Thank you for doing that."

Nathan nodded and silently retreated to his spot at the desk to give Dave space, "Those grandchildren of mine take after their mother," Dr. Romano commented quietly. "I want you to eat everything there."

As Dave continued to eat, Dr. Anspaugh came to the desk with Evette and an irritated looking John, who was holding his nose, "I just ran into Doctor Carter," Dr. Anspaugh said curtly. "What happened to him?"

"Doctor Carter made an inappropriate comment about my son's recent leukemia diagnosis," Dave spoke up in a tired voice, fully expecting to be fired for his angry outburst. "I just found out about it today."

Dr. Anspaugh looked somewhat horrified, "I'm very sorry to hear that your son is ill, Doctor Malucci," he said in a calm voice, giving Dave a calm look. "However, that does not mean you need to hit colleagues just because they say something inappropriate concerning the situation. You're much better than that."

"You're right, Doctor Anspaugh, it won't happen again," Dave replied in a tired, repentant voice.

Nodding, Dr. Anspaugh looked at Frank, "Frank, Nathan, this is my daughter, Evette, and she's going to volunteer here for a while as part of a volunteer program at her school," he said calmly. "I have a lot of work to do today and she's been assigned to the ER, so could someone give her an orientation please?"

"Nathan, give the young lady a tour," Frank said in a calm voice. "I'll train her on the computer in a bit."

Even though Nathan looked surprised he nodded, "Um, this way, Miss Anspaugh," he said calmly.

"Um, I'm going to check my nose," John said as the small crowd dispersed. "Dave, if you want to talk…"

Dave sighed as he continued to eat, "I know," he replied in a tired voice. "Just give me time to think."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please read and review!<strong>_


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